IPL 2026 to kick-start on March 28, final on May 31: Report
The IPL Governing Council is expected to push the start date of IPL 2026 two days back due to state elections
The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is expected to begin on March 28, two days later than the originally planned start date of March 26. The tournament is currently slated to conclude with the final on May 31, although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to make an official announcement regarding the schedule.
Franchises were initially informed about the March 26 start during the IPL auction held in Abu Dhabi in December last year. However, with the full schedule still pending, indications suggest the tournament could start slightly later than first planned.
Possible delay in start date
According to a media report by ESPNcricinfo, the IPL has internally decided to push the opening date to March 28 while retaining May 31 as the tentative date for the final. The IPL Governing Council is expected to meet next week to finalise the schedule before it is made public.
While March 28 currently appears the most likely start date, March 29 is also being considered as an alternative. Franchises have not yet received official communication about the revised dates, though discussions about a slight delay have been circulating among teams.
Election schedule affecting IPL planning
One of the major reasons behind the delay in releasing the schedule is the upcoming Assembly elections in multiple states, including Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and West Bengal. The dates for these elections have yet to be announced by the Election Commission of India.
The election schedule could affect IPL venues in several cities. Kolkata and Chennai serve as the home bases for Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, respectively, while Guwahati in Assam functions as Rajasthan Royals’ second home venue.
Given the possible overlap between election dates and IPL fixtures, the BCCI has been waiting for clarity before finalising the complete schedule.
Partial schedule likely
With time running short before the start of the tournament, the BCCI could consider announcing the fixtures in phases. Under this approach, an initial set of matches would be released first, followed by the remaining schedule once the election programme is confirmed.
Such a strategy has been used previously. During the 2019 IPL season, which coincided with India’s general elections, the schedule was announced in multiple phases to accommodate security arrangements and polling dates.
The board is expected to take a final call on this approach once the Governing Council meets to review the situation.
Opening match venue under discussion
The venue for the opening match is also under discussion, as the season opener is expected to feature defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
There have been conversations between the franchise and the Karnataka State Cricket Association regarding whether the team will play its home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru or shift to another venue. The discussions follow the tragic stampede during RCB’s title celebrations at the stadium last June, which resulted in the death of 11 fans.
The outcome of these discussions could influence where the first match of the 2026 season is staged.
BCCI meets stakeholders for season build-up
Meanwhile, the BCCI recently convened a meeting with key stakeholders, including broadcaster JioHotstar and representatives from all 10 IPL franchises, to discuss strategies for promoting the upcoming season.
The meeting took place at the BCCI headquarters earlier this week, with a few teams joining virtually. Discussions focused on improving pre-season engagement and generating excitement among fans through coordinated marketing efforts.
Officials explored ways to enhance publicity through both traditional media and digital platforms, with particular emphasis on leveraging players to boost interest in the lead-up to the tournament.
However, since most players typically join their franchises only about a week before the start of the competition, stakeholders also discussed how their participation in promotional activities could be maximised to strengthen the build-up to IPL 2026.