IPL 2026 Schedule Announced: RCB vs SRH to Open Season as BCCI Reveals Phase-1 Fixtures

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will begin on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the schedule for the first phase of the tournament, which includes 20 matches from March 28 to April 12. The remaining fixtures will be announced later due to upcoming state elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam.

RCB Begin Title Defence at Home

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will start their title defence in front of their home crowd at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium. The high-scoring venue is expected to provide an exciting start to the IPL 2026 season.

MI vs KKR Highlight Opening Sunday

One of the biggest clashes of the opening weekend will see Mumbai Indians face Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

This encounter between two multiple-time IPL champions is expected to attract massive attention from cricket fans.

Royals vs Super Kings Clash in Guwahati

Rajasthan Royals will host Chennai Super Kings on March 30 in Guwahati. The fixture adds intrigue following a major off-season trade that involved players such as Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran.

Double Headers in Early IPL Weekends

The first phase of the tournament features several double-headers across the opening two weekends. One of the marquee fixtures will be RCB vs CSK on April 5 in Bengaluru.

The phase will conclude with Mumbai Indians hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12.

Venue Adjustments for IPL 2026

• Rajasthan Royals will play their first three home matches in Guwahati before shifting to Jaipur.
• Punjab Kings will split home games between Mullanpur and Dharamsala.
• RCB will also play two home games in Raipur.

Expert Committee Inspection

The BCCI confirmed that matches scheduled in Bengaluru remain subject to approval from the Expert Committee appointed by the Karnataka Government.

The committee will inspect the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 13 and conduct a full mock demonstration to ensure match-day preparedness.

IPL 2026 Phase-1 Key Fixtures

• Mar 28 – RCB vs SRH (Bengaluru)
• Mar 29 – MI vs KKR (Mumbai)
• Mar 30 – RR vs CSK (Guwahati)
• Apr 5 – RCB vs CSK (Bengaluru)
• Apr 12 – MI vs RCB (Mumbai)

With several blockbuster clashes lined up in the opening phase, IPL 2026 promises an exciting start to the season.