BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed that the remaining IPL 2026 schedule will be announced “in a few days’ time.” So far, only the first 20 matches (March 28 to April 12) have been released.
That leaves 54 fixtures still unconfirmed, including several marquee clashes. The delay? State assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala forced the board to take a phased approach.
Why Did BCCI Delay the Full IPL 2026 Schedule?
The reason is straightforward: security logistics.
State police forces in election-bound regions focus entirely on maintaining law and order during polling. That means they can’t provide security for IPL matches on or around election dates. Since Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Chepauk (Chennai), and venues in Assam all host IPL games, the BCCI needed clarity on polling dates before finalising fixtures.
BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla explained this earlier, saying the board had “held back” the full schedule due to police deployment concerns. Once the Election Commission announced polling dates, the BCCI started working on the remaining fixtures.
Additionally, five IPL venues, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahmedabad, recently hosted T20 World Cup 2026 matches. Transitioning these grounds from a global event to a domestic league also required extra preparation time.
What Do We Know About the IPL 2026 Schedule So Far?
The first phase covers 20 matches across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
Here are the key details already confirmed:
- March 28: RCB vs SRH at Chinnaswamy Stadium (season opener)
- May 31: IPL 2026 Final at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- Four double-headers in the first phase (afternoon games at 3:30 PM IST, evening at 7:30 PM IST)
- Chinnaswamy will also host one playoff match
However, several high-profile matchups remain unannounced. The much-anticipated MI vs CSK clash, for instance, hasn’t been scheduled yet.
How Many Total Matches Will IPL 2026 Have?
The 2026 season will feature a total of 74 matches under the existing format. That includes 70 league-stage games and four playoff fixtures (two qualifiers, one eliminator, and the final).
Each of the 10 teams plays 14 matches in the league phase. Some reports had speculated about an expanded season with 84 matches, but the BCCI has not confirmed any format change for this edition.
Which Teams Are Most Affected By The Delay?
KKR and CSK face the biggest disruption since both have home grounds in election-bound states. Chennai Super Kings will likely avoid scheduling home games around April 23, the polling date in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, Kolkata Knight Riders may see their Eden Gardens fixtures pushed around West Bengal’s election dates.
Rajasthan Royals play some home games in Guwahati, which falls under Assam, another election-bound state. However, RR also have Jaipur as a second home venue, giving them more flexibility.
With the opener just two days away, the full schedule should drop any moment now.
