The BCCI has officially released the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026. This initial list covers the first 20 matches of the tournament, spanning from March 28 to April 12.
The schedule is being released in two parts to avoid clashing with upcoming State Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
The Big Kickoff
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host the season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday, March 28. The match will take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, marking an emotional return to the venue for the home side.
IPL 2026: Phase 1 Schedule (First 20 Matches)
| Match | Date | Day | Fixture | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 28 | Sat | RCB vs SRH | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| 2 | Mar 29 | Sun | MI vs KKR | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| 3 | Mar 30 | Mon | RR vs CSK | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| 4 | Mar 31 | Tue | PBKS vs GT | Mullanpur | 7:30 PM |
| 5 | Apr 1 | Wed | LSG vs DC | Lucknow | 7:30 PM |
| 6 | Apr 2 | Thu | KKR vs SRH | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| 7 | Apr 3 | Fri | CSK vs PBKS | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| 8 | Apr 4 | Sat | DC vs MI | Delhi | 3:30 PM |
| 9 | Apr 4 | Sat | GT vs RR | Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM |
| 10 | Apr 5 | Sun | SRH vs LSG | Hyderabad | 3:30 PM |
| 11 | Apr 5 | Sun | RCB vs CSK | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
| 12 | Apr 6 | Mon | KKR vs PBKS | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| 13 | Apr 7 | Tue | RR vs MI | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| 14 | Apr 8 | Wed | DC vs GT | Delhi | 7:30 PM |
| 15 | Apr 9 | Thu | KKR vs LSG | Kolkata | 7:30 PM |
| 16 | Apr 10 | Fri | RR vs RCB | Guwahati | 7:30 PM |
| 17 | Apr 11 | Sat | PBKS vs SRH | Mullanpur | 3:30 PM |
| 18 | Apr 11 | Sat | CSK vs DC | Chennai | 7:30 PM |
| 19 | Apr 12 | Sun | LSG vs GT | Lucknow | 3:30 PM |
| 20 | Apr 12 | Sun | MI vs RCB | Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
Key Highlights for Phase 1
- Guwahati as a Second Home: Rajasthan Royals (RR) will play three of their home games at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati instead of Jaipur for this phase.
- The Trade Rivalry: On March 30, CSK and RR face off in what many are calling the “Trade War” match, following the historic swap of Sanju Samson to CSK and Ravindra Jadeja to RR.
- Double Headers: The first double-header weekend starts on April 4.
- RCB’s Title Defence: After winning their first title in 2025, RCB starts the season at home. However, their home matches are currently subject to a safety clearance check scheduled for March 13.
