The Andhra Premier League 2026 (APL 2026) begins on June 9, 2026 and runs through June 30, 2026, with 32 matches across 17 match days. Specifically, the tournament features 28 league games and 4 playoff fixtures, culminating in a Grand Finale on June 30.
Furthermore, all matches will be telecast on Star Sports Telugu and streamed live on JioHotstar and FanCode. Here’s the complete date-wise breakdown, teams, format, and viewing guide for Season 5 of the GMR APL.
Andhra Premier League 2026 Key Dates At A Glance
Before jumping into the full fixture list, here are the milestone dates every APL fan should mark on their calendar.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Tournament Window | June 9 – June 30, 2026 (22 Days) |
| Opening Match | Simhadri Vizag Lions vs Kakinada Kings (June 9, 7:30 PM IST) |
| First Rest Days | June 15 – June 16, 2026 |
| Second Rest Days | June 22 – June 23, 2026 |
| League Stage Ends | June 27, 2026 |
| Playoffs Begin | June 28, 2026 (Eliminator & Qualifier 1) |
| Qualifier 2 | June 29, 2026 (6:30 PM IST) |
| Grand Finale | June 30, 2026 (7:30 PM IST) |
In total, the APL 2026 schedule packs 32 matches into just over three weeks, which makes for one of the most action-dense regional T20 calendars in India.
Andhra Premier League 2026 Week-by-Week Schedule
Rather than one mega-table, here’s the complete APL 2026 fixture list split into four phases. All match timings are in IST.
Phase 1: Opening Stretch (June 9 – June 14)
The APL 2026 kicks off with 11 matches packed into six consecutive days. So expect plenty of back-to-back action right from the opening week.
| # | Date | Matchup | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 Jun (Tue) | Simhadri Vizag Lions vs Kakinada Kings | 7:30 PM |
| 2 | 10 Jun (Wed) | Tungabhadra Warriors vs Capital Amaravati Royals | 1:30 PM |
| 3 | 10 Jun (Wed) | Vijayawada Sunshiners vs Bhimavaram Bulls | 6:30 PM |
| 4 | 11 Jun (Thu) | Simhadri Vizag Lions vs Capital Amaravati Royals | 1:30 PM |
| 5 | 11 Jun (Thu) | Bhimavaram Bulls vs Royals of Rayalaseema | 6:30 PM |
| 6 | 12 Jun (Fri) | Kakinada Kings vs Vijayawada Sunshiners | 1:30 PM |
| 7 | 12 Jun (Fri) | Royals of Rayalaseema vs Tungabhadra Warriors | 6:30 PM |
| 8 | 13 Jun (Sat) | Bhimavaram Bulls vs Simhadri Vizag Lions | 1:30 PM |
| 9 | 13 Jun (Sat) | Tungabhadra Warriors vs Kakinada Kings | 6:30 PM |
| 10 | 14 Jun (Sun) | Capital Amaravati Royals vs Bhimavaram Bulls | 1:30 PM |
| 11 | 14 Jun (Sun) | Vijayawada Sunshiners vs Simhadri Vizag Lions | 6:30 PM |
Quick Note: June 10 features the 2025 Final rematch – Tungabhadra Warriors (defending champs) take on the Capital Amaravati Royals, who finished as runners-up last season.
Phase 2: Mid-Tournament Push (June 17 – June 21)
After a two-day break, the tournament resumes with another 9 matches. Notably, June 20 hosts back-to-back marquee clashes.
| # | Date | Matchup | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 17 Jun (Wed) | Vijayawada Sunshiners vs Tungabhadra Warriors | 6:30 PM |
| 13 | 18 Jun (Thu) | Kakinada Kings vs Royals of Rayalaseema | 1:30 PM |
| 14 | 18 Jun (Thu) | Capital Amaravati Royals vs Simhadri Vizag Lions | 6:30 PM |
| 15 | 19 Jun (Fri) | Bhimavaram Bulls vs Vijayawada Sunshiners | 1:30 PM |
| 16 | 19 Jun (Fri) | Simhadri Vizag Lions vs Royals of Rayalaseema | 6:30 PM |
| 17 | 20 Jun (Sat) | Tungabhadra Warriors vs Bhimavaram Bulls | 1:30 PM |
| 18 | 20 Jun (Sat) | Capital Amaravati Royals vs Kakinada Kings | 6:30 PM |
| 19 | 21 Jun (Sun) | Royals of Rayalaseema vs Tungabhadra Warriors | 1:30 PM |
| 20 | 21 Jun (Sun) | Kakinada Kings vs Vijayawada Sunshiners | 6:30 PM |
Phase 3: League Finale (June 24 – June 27)
Following another short break, the final eight league matches play out across four high-stakes days. Every result here directly shapes the playoff lineup.
| # | Date | Matchup | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 24 Jun (Wed) | Royals of Rayalaseema vs Simhadri Vizag Lions | 1:30 PM |
| 22 | 24 Jun (Wed) | Bhimavaram Bulls vs Capital Amaravati Royals | 6:30 PM |
| 23 | 25 Jun (Thu) | Vijayawada Sunshiners vs Royals of Rayalaseema | 1:30 PM |
| 24 | 25 Jun (Thu) | Tungabhadra Warriors vs Kakinada Kings | 6:30 PM |
| 25 | 26 Jun (Fri) | Capital Amaravati Royals vs Vijayawada Sunshiners | 1:30 PM |
| 26 | 26 Jun (Fri) | Kakinada Kings vs Bhimavaram Bulls | 6:30 PM |
| 27 | 27 Jun (Sat) | Simhadri Vizag Lions vs Tungabhadra Warriors | 1:30 PM |
| 28 | 27 Jun (Sat) | Royals of Rayalaseema vs Capital Amaravati Royals | 6:30 PM |
Quick Note: Match 24 (Tungabhadra Warriors vs Kakinada Kings) is essentially a rematch of Match 9. As a result, both teams will have extensive data to work with from their first meeting.
Phase 4: The Knockouts (June 28 – June 30)
The APL 2026 playoffs follow the IPL-style format, where the top two teams get a safety net via Qualifier 1, while the 3rd and 4th placed teams play a single-elimination Eliminator.
| # | Date | Match | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 28 Jun (Sun) | Eliminator – 3rd vs 4th | 1:30 PM |
| 30 | 28 Jun (Sun) | Qualifier 1 – 1st vs 2nd | 6:30 PM |
| 31 | 29 Jun (Mon) | Qualifier 2 – Q1 Loser vs Eliminator Winner | 6:30 PM |
| 32 | 30 Jun (Tue) | Final – Q1 Winner vs Q2 Winner | 7:30 PM |
Andhra Premier League 2026 Franchises And Captains
Seven franchises represent different regions of Andhra Pradesh in APL 2026. Notably, the captain list reads like a who’s who of Andhra cricket.
| Team | Captain | Cricketing Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Tungabhadra Warriors | Maheep Kumar | Defending APL champions; Kurnool-based franchise |
| Capital Amaravati Royals | Hanuma Vihari | Led by India Test batter; APL 2025 Player of the Season |
| Bhimavaram Bulls | Nitish Kumar Reddy | Led by India Test all-rounder, fresh off IPL 2026 success |
| Kakinada Kings | K.S. Bharat | India wicketkeeper-batter at the helm |
| Simhadri Vizag Lions | Ricky Bhui | Experienced Andhra domestic top-order batter |
| Vijayawada Sunshiners | Ashwin Hebbar | Andhra Ranji Trophy regular and middle-order anchor |
| Royals of Rayalaseema | Shaik Rasheed | Promising young India U-19 batter |
Andhra Premier League 2026 Tournament Format Explained
The APL 2026 format splits cleanly into two stages, mirroring the IPL playoff structure.
- League Stage: 28 matches played across 14 active days. Each team plays 8 matches. Top 4 advance to the playoffs.
- Eliminator: 3rd vs 4th. Single knockout – loser exits, winner moves to Qualifier 2.
- Qualifier 1: 1st vs 2nd. Winner books a Final spot directly.
- Qualifier 2: Q1 Loser vs Eliminator Winner. Winner earns the second Final spot.
- Final: Q1 Winner vs Q2 Winner. Winner lifts the APL trophy.
In essence, the format rewards consistency. Specifically, finishing in the top two gives you two chances to reach the final – a major advantage over the third and fourth-placed sides.
Andhra Premier League 2026 Venues
For the first time, the APL expands beyond a single venue. Consequently, three stadiums host matches in 2026.
| Stadium | City | Role in APL 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| ACA-VDCA Stadium | Visakhapatnam | Primary venue; hosts playoffs and the Grand Finale. Approximate capacity: 27,000. |
| Mangalgiri Stadium | Mangalgiri (near Vijayawada) | APL Headquarters; receiving a ₹35 crore upgrade for the tournament. |
| Kadapa Stadium | Kadapa | Newly added for the 2026 season; upgraded with modern facilities. |
By spreading games across Vizag, Mangalgiri, and Kadapa, the ACA brings the APL closer to fans from coastal Andhra to the Rayalaseema region.
How to Watch Andhra Premier League 2026 Live?
You can catch APL 2026 live coverage through three different platforms, so there’s an option for every kind of viewer.
- Star Sports Telugu (TV): Free linear TV broadcast in Telugu commentary; widely available on most cable and DTH packages.
- JioHotstar (OTT): Live streaming via the JioHotstar app and website. Free with Jio plans; subscription required otherwise.
- FanCode (Digital): The go-to platform for Indian domestic cricket. Subscription required, but it includes live stats, highlights, and replays.
Furthermore, fans outside India can typically catch the matches via FanCode’s international viewing tiers, which makes the APL 2026 globally accessible.
Andhra Premier League 2026 Auction Snapshot
The APL 2026 auction was held on April 26, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Resort in Visakhapatnam. Here’s a quick numbers-led summary.
- Auction Purse: ₹55 lakh per team, up from ₹45 lakh in 2025
- Player Pool: 558 registered players
- Players Retained: 33 across the seven franchises
- Highest Bid: Stephen Cheepurapalli – ₹12.25 lakh (Tungabhadra Warriors)
- Youngest Player: K. Thaman – born 2011, just 15 years old
The ₹10 lakh purse hike reflects rising commercial interest. Furthermore, the auction’s mandatory youth inclusion rule ensures U-19 and U-16 talent gets exposure, which strengthens the Andhra cricket pipeline.
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Conclusion: APL 2026 Set For A Thrilling Season from June 9 to June 30
With 32 matches packed into 22 days, three venues, and India internationals as captains, the APL 2026 is shaping up to be the league’s most ambitious season yet.
Furthermore, the marquee fixtures across June give fans a steady stream of high-stakes cricket. Bookmark the official AndhraPremierLeague.in schedule page for live updates, points table, and any changes to the fixture list.
