IPL 2026 to start on March 28; final to be played on May 31

On Friday, February 27, an ESPNcricinfo report disclosed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season will commence on Saturday, March 28. The opening fixture will involve the IPL 2025 winners, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

While the earlier report published in December 2025 stated that the IPL 2026 edition would start in March 2026, the latest report has confirmed that the IPL 2026 has a new start date, with the grand finale set to be played on May 31.

The same report further revealed that the IPL Governing Council is expected to meet next week to announce the schedule for the IPL 2026 season, which has been delayed because the dates for the assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu haven’t been revealed yet.

It’s worth noting that Kolkata and Chennai are the home grounds for the three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), respectively. On the other hand, Guwahati, Assam’s capital, will be the second home venue for the Rajasthan Royals (RR). 

Moreover, the IPL GC will also discuss where the season opener is expected to be played. Also, the report suggested that the Governing Council is expected to divide the schedule into two halves.

“Since the IPL began in 2008, when the country has had its general elections - in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 - or a state has had its assembly elections, the schedule has been announced in two parts. The GC is expected to decide whether to have the same plan this time too, or wait for the Election Commission of India to announce the poll dates for the three states first,” the report stated.

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