The 2026 Indian Premier League is now expected to begin on Saturday, 28 March, two days later than the date the franchises were given before December’s auction. The final is pencilled in for Sunday, 31 May, keeping the tournament inside its usual nine-week window.
An IPL governing-council meeting, likely early next week, should rubber-stamp both dates and decide when – and how – to release the full fixture list. The delay is down to assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. “We simply can’t confirm venues until the Election Commission publishes the polling calendar,” a tournament official said on Thursday.
Why the elections matter
• Kolkata Knight Riders play at Eden Gardens in West Bengal.
• Chennai Super Kings are based at Chepauk in Tamil Nadu.
• Rajasthan Royals use Guwahati, Assam, as a second home ground.
In previous election years – 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 – the IPL issued its schedule in two instalments, waiting for polling days before announcing the second half. That option remains on the table, though some inside the BCCI would prefer to hold fire and publish everything in one go.
Opening match still up in the air
Tradition says the title-holders host the curtain-raiser, which would mean Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. After last June’s tragic stampede during RCB’s victory parade – eleven supporters died – the ground’s suitability for seven full-house league games is being re-examined.
A Karnataka State Cricket Association representative noted, “We’re working with the club and local authorities on improved crowd-management plans. Nothing is final yet.” RCB have identified Navi Mumbai, Pune and Raipur as back-up venues if Bengaluru is ruled out or partially restricted.
Franchises were first told the 2026 season would start on 26 March during the briefing that preceded the auction on 15 December. One team executive, speaking on background, admitted the fresh two-day shift is “small beer” compared with the bigger question of where early-April matches can actually be staged.
What happens next
• Governing council meets next week.
• Decision on single-release or split-release schedule.
• Confirmation of the opening fixture and RCB’s home ground.
It is, in short, a familiar IPL balancing act: squeeze 74 matches into a tight window, respect a nationwide election cycle, and make sure every venue is genuinely ready. Nothing impossible there, but plenty still to tick off before late March rolls around.
