All Details About IPL 2026: Defending Champs RCB Gear Up as T20 Extravaganza Kicks Off in March
New Delhi, December 1, 2025
Cricket fans are buzzing with excitement as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the schedule for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), branded as TATA IPL 2026. Set to ignite the summer with high-octane T20 action, the tournament will run from March 22 to May 25, 2026, featuring 10 powerhouse franchises battling it out in 74 league matches and playoffs.
The league stage commences on March 22 with a blockbuster opener: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata – a rematch of sorts, with RCB entering as defending champions after clinching their maiden title in 2025 by defeating Punjab Kings in the final. The action will wrap up with the grand finale on May 25 at Eden Gardens, promising edge-of-the-seat drama under the floodlights.
The 10 teams remain unchanged: Chennai Super Kings (CSK, captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad), Mumbai Indians (MI, Hardik Pandya), RCB (Rajat Patidar), KKR (Ajinkya Rahane), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH, Pat Cummins), Delhi Capitals (DC, Axar Patel), Punjab Kings (PBKS, Shreyas Iyer), Rajasthan Royals (RR, Sanju Samson), Gujarat Titans (GT, Shubman Gill), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG, Rishabh Pant). Each side will play 14 league games, with the top four advancing to the playoffs in Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Matches will light up 13 iconic stadiums across India, blending tradition and spectacle. Key venues include Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai, MI’s fortress), M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai, CSK’s den), Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad, GT’s home), and Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi, DC’s hub), alongside Eden Gardens (Kolkata), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru), Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Hyderabad), Sawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur), and others like Barsapara (Guwahati) and HPCA Stadium (Dharamsala). Double-headers on weekends ensure non-stop entertainment, all at 7:30 PM IST unless specified.
With the player auction slated for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, teams are poised for mega bids that could reshape rosters. As IPL 2026 approaches, expect star-studded lineups, nail-biting finishes, and the roar of 68,000 fans at Eden Gardens – cricket’s ultimate party is back!
