Cricket fans waiting for the IPL 2026 schedule can finally breathe easy. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed on Tuesday that the board will release the first phase of the schedule on March 12 or no later than March 13. The announcement comes just 18 days before the tournament’s opening day.
Why Two Phases?
This season, the BCCI plans to roll out the fixtures in two separate phases. The first phase will cover the opening 20 days of the tournament. The second phase will follow once the Election Commission declares assembly election dates for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala.
The board wants to avoid scheduling clashes with the election process in these states. The IPL Governing Council had already approved this two-phase plan on March 3. Saikia also mentioned that the board is waiting for confirmations from a few centres before finalizing the first batch of fixtures.
Tournament Dates and Venues
The 19th season of the IPL will run from March 28 to May 31. Earlier plans had the tournament starting on March 26 and ending on May 30, but the BCCI made slight changes to those dates. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host the opening match, one playoff game, and the final. Reports suggest Royal Challengers Bengaluru could face Chennai Super Kings in the opener on March 28. Raipur will also serve as a new venue this season alongside the regular IPL centres.
No Impact of Global Tensions
Saikia clarified that global disruptions, including the ongoing conflict in West Asia, have not influenced the BCCI’s scheduling decisions. The only reason behind the delay is the pending state election calendar.
Chennai Super Kings began training on March 1 at their High-Performance Centre in Navalur, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and MS Dhoni taking part. Gujarat Titans also strengthened their coaching setup by appointing former Australian opener Matthew Hayden as their batting coach.
