India just won the T20 World Cup 2026 back-to-back and the country has already shifted straight into IPL mode, with cricket fans worldwide. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have done it again, defending their IPL title in 2026 and cementing themselves as the team of this era. TATA IPL 2026 kicked off March 28 with RCB hosting SRH at Chinnaswamy, and the complete IPL 2026 schedule ran across 70 matches and 12 venues through May 24. It was set up to be the most competitive IPL season ever, and RCB delivered when it mattered most. IPL 2026 Start Date and Opening Match IPL 2026 is shaping up to be one of the biggest cricket seasons yet, with fans across Pakistan and India already tracking matches, scores, and live streaming options on platforms like Hm 77 . The BCCI confirmed the complete TATA IPL 2026 schedule with all 70 matches now officially released, and prediction apps like zt777 , Teen patti blue and noob win have been trending among Pakistani fans for adding extra fun to IPL match days. For mobile cricket fans, 988 download and s98 Game are popular picks this season, while Pkr 98 , 3 patti gold and 9999win are also making rounds in fan communities for IPL reward features. Pakistani fans who enjoy adding extra excitement to match days are also checking out k666 for its cricket-based game options, with 1jj and pkrvip also gaining attention among IPL followers this season. Cricket fans looking for more options are also trying P999 Game which has been picking up popularity in Pakistani fan circles for IPL match prediction and gaming, and PKR SPIN is another name fans are buzzing about for its spin-based cricket reward games. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru host the season opener on March 28 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium against Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB claimed their maiden IPL title in 2025, beating Punjab Kings in the final by just six runs after 18 years of waiting, and they begin their title defence at home in front of what will be a packed and electric Chinnaswamy crowd. Download IPL 2026 Schedule PDF IPL 2026 Tournament Overview IPL 2026 Schedule & Fixtures The full fixture list for the first 20 matches was officially released by the BCCI on March 11, 2026. Below is the confirmed schedule, with all venues and dates locked in. The remaining fixtures will be announced separately once Phase 1 gets underway. IPL 2026 First Phase Schedule Key scheduling notes to keep in mind: Weekday matches start at 7:30 PM IST Weekend double-headers run at 3:30 PM IST and 7:30 PM IST Qualifier 1 and the Final are both confirmed for M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru Eliminator and Qualifier 2 venues are expected to be Ahmedabad or Raipur (to be confirmed) RCB will play five home games in Bengaluru and two “home” fixtures in Raipur at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium IPL 2026 Teams and Captains All 10 franchises return for the 19th edition. After the December 2025 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi, squads have been finalised with some notable captaincy changes and key signings that will reshape the competition. I PL 2026 Auction Highlights The TATA IPL 2026 mini-auction took place on December 16, 2025 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. Each franchise had a total purse of ₹125 crore , with a combined spend of ₹215.45 crore across all 10 teams for 77 players (including 29 overseas). Some of the most significant auction moments included: Cameron Green (KKR) became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history at ₹25.20 crore , surpassing Mitchell Starc’s ₹24.75 crore record from 2024 Matheesha Pathirana (KKR) was secured for ₹18 crore, giving KKR one of the most dangerous pace attacks in the tournament Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma (CSK) both sold for ₹14.20 crore each — the joint-most expensive uncapped players in IPL history Rishabh Pant, bought by LSG for ₹27 crore at IPL 2025 auction, remains the overall most expensive player in IPL auction history Notable unsold players included Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jonny Bairstow, and Devon Conway The retention system allowed teams to keep up to 6 players before the auction, with the first retention costing ₹18 crore from the purse. KKR had the largest remaining budget at ₹64.30 crore heading into auction day — and they made full use of it. IPL 2026 Venues and Stadiums The 2026 season spans across some of cricket’s most electrifying arenas. Bengaluru holds the additional honour of hosting both the opening match and the final, making M. Chinnaswamy Stadium the heartbeat of this entire tournament. 18 venues were initially proposed for IPL 2026, but the confirmed primary venues are the ones listed above. The use of Raipur as a secondary ground for RCB is a unique situation this season — stemming from a temporary event suspension at Chinnaswamy last year, though the venue has since been cleared by local authorities for the majority of matches. How to Watch IPL 2026 Live Star Sports Network holds the official TV broadcast rights for IPL 2026. Coverage spans English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali commentary across dedicated channels. Tata Play, Airtel Digital TV, and Dish TV subscribers will find Star Sports in their sports packages. JioHotstar (formed after the merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar in 2025) is the official digital streaming platform. All 84 matches will stream live on JioHotstar. Unlike previous seasons, IPL 2026 will not be available for free — a paid subscription is required. Plans start from ₹149/month. Jio prepaid users can get JioHotstar access bundled with specific plans like the ₹299 plan (90-day subscription) or the ₹195 Cricket Data Pack.

Sky Sports signed a deal covering IPL rights in the UK through 2027, offering 4K Ultra HD coverage with Dolby Atmos. Non-subscribers can access via NOW TV with daily passes (£7.99) or monthly passes (£33.99). Key Things That Make IPL 2026 Different A few factors genuinely separate this edition from anything that came before it: 84 matches instead of 74. The expanded format means every team gets more game time, more opportunities to turn their season around, and more moments for fans to witness. RCB as defending champions. After 18 years of heartbreak, RCB finally have the trophy. Coming in as title-holders with the home crowd behind them in match one — there is no bigger story heading into the tournament. India on a T20 World Cup high. The announcement of IPL 2026’s start date came hours before India played the 2026 T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad. With India lifting that trophy too, the entire country heads into IPL season with momentum and passion at an all-time high. The KKR rebuild. Kolkata Knight Riders came in with ₹64.30 crore in auction purse and completely reinvented their squad — bringing in Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, and making this perhaps the most transformed unit in the whole competition. The Impact Player rule stays. The controversial but fan-favourite Impact Player rule continues in IPL 2026, meaning teams can substitute one specialist player mid-innings. This keeps match totals high and strategies layered. IPL 2026 Tickets IPL 2026 tickets are expected to go live in phases, with BookMyShow already opening pre-sale registration for venues like Wankhede Stadium (window opens March 26). Tickets are also expected on Paytm Insider and official franchise portals. One thing to be aware of: IPL 2026 tickets now attract a 40% GST rate following a GST restructure in September 2025 — placing IPL in India’s highest tax bracket. In practice, a ticket with a ₹1,000 base price will now cost around ₹1,400 at checkout. Expected ticket price ranges: Budget seats: ₹450 to ₹850 Mid-range seats: ₹900 to ₹3,000 Premium seats: ₹4,000 to ₹18,000 VIP / Box seats: ₹19,000 and above These are estimated ranges. Final pricing will vary by venue and match. High-demand fixtures like the RCB opener, CSK home games, and the playoff matches will likely sell out fastest. Brief Look at IPL 2025 and What Changed IPL 2025 produced one of the tournament’s most memorable finals. RCB defeated Punjab Kings by just six runs to clinch their maiden title — ending an 18-year wait that had tested the patience and hearts of every Bangalore supporter. Sai Sudharsan was the batting standout with 759 runs across the season, while Prasidh Krishna led the bowling charts for Gujarat Titans with 25 wickets. The defending champions KKR could not replicate their 2024 success and failed to make the playoffs. The season also featured a mid-tournament break in May due to political tensions, but the league recovered strongly and delivered a fitting conclusion. Going into 2026, expect some teams to come out with a point to prove. KKR, in particular, have completely overhauled their squad after that disappointment. When does IPL 2026 start? The TATA IPL 2026 officially begins on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The start date was confirmed by the BCCI and official broadcaster Star Sports on March 8, 2026 just before the T20 World Cup 2026 final. When is the IPL 2026 Final? The IPL 2026 Final is scheduled for May 31, 2026, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The playoffs begin from May 26 with Qualifier 1. How many matches are in IPL 2026? IPL 2026 features a record 84 matches up from 74 in previous seasons. This includes 80 league stage games and 4 playoff matches. Who is opening the IPL 2026 tournament? Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host the opening match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Punjab Kings are the expected opponents for the opener — a rematch of the IPL 2025 final. Why is the IPL 2026 schedule being released in two phases? The BCCI is releasing fixtures in two phases because of upcoming state assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu. These states host key IPL venues (Eden Gardens, Barsapara Stadium, Chepauk), and security resources may be redirected for election duties. The BCCI is awaiting polling dates from the Election Commission before finalising those venue slots.