IPL 2026 to kick off with RCB vs SRH in Bengaluru

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League in Bengaluru on March 28, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the first phase of the tournament.

However, all matches scheduled at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain subject to clearance from a Karnataka government-appointed expert committee. The panel is set to meet on March 13 to assess venue preparedness following the deadly stampede reported at the stadium last season.

The BCCI has so far released the schedule for the first 20 matches and said the full fixtures will be announced once the dates for the Assembly elections in three states- Tamil Nadu, Assam and West Bengal- are finalised.

The second game of the opening weekend will see the Mumbai Indians host the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium, and the opening weekend will not feature any double-headers. A total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

"During the season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings will play four home matches in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while Rajasthan Royals will play three home matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur," said the BCCI in a statement.

"During this period (the first 16 days), the tournament will feature four double-headers, with the afternoon matches beginning at 03.30 pm IST and the evening matches commencing at 07.30 pm IST. Following the opening encounter on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday," the BCCI added.

Apart from the elections, the escalating conflict in West Asia is also a major concern for the board as it could affect international travel for players. The conflict has disrupted operations at several key airports in the region, including those in Doha and Dubai, causing restrictions on flights and delays in travel.

As a result, some players from South Africa and the West Indies are yet to return home, even a week after the completion of their ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign. It remains to be seen if IPL bound players of those two nations report to their respective teams in time.

Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanthan told PTI that he is expecting his players from the West Indies and South Africa- Akeal Hossein and Dewald Brevis, to join the team well before their IPL opener. "We are expecting no delays from their end," he said.