BCCI Headquarters, Mumbai: The excitement for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has reached a fever pitch as the BCCI officially released the schedule for the first phase of the 2026 season. The tournament is set to commence on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in what promises to be an electric opening clash.
Due to the upcoming State Assembly elections in several regions, the board has released the fixtures for the first 20 matches only, covering the period until April 12. The remaining schedule will be finalized once polling dates are confirmed.
IPL 2026: Phase 1 Match Schedule
The opening phase will feature four double-headers. Afternoon matches are scheduled for 3:30 PM IST, while evening games will begin at 7:30 PM IST.
| Date | Match | Time (IST) | Venue |
| March 28 | RCB vs SRH | 7:30 PM | Bengaluru* |
| March 29 | MI vs KKR | 7:30 PM | Mumbai |
| March 30 | RR vs CSK | 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| March 31 | PBKS vs GT | 7:30 PM | New Chandigarh |
| April 1 | LSG vs DC | 7:30 PM | Lucknow |
| April 2 | KKR vs SRH | 7:30 PM | Kolkata |
| April 3 | CSK vs PBKS | 7:30 PM | Chennai |
| April 4 | DC vs MI | 3:30 PM | Delhi |
| April 4 | GT vs RR | 7:30 PM | Ahmedabad |
| April 5 | SRH vs LSG | 3:30 PM | Hyderabad |
| April 5 | RCB vs CSK | 7:30 PM | Bengaluru* |
| April 6 | KKR vs PBKS | 7:30 PM | Kolkata |
| April 7 | RR vs MI | 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| April 8 | DC vs GT | 7:30 PM | Delhi |
| April 9 | KKR vs LSG | 7:30 PM | Kolkata |
| April 10 | RR vs RCB | 7:30 PM | Guwahati |
| April 11 | PBKS vs SRH | 3:30 PM | New Chandigarh |
| April 11 | CSK vs DC | 7:30 PM | Chennai |
| April 12 | LSG vs GT | 3:30 PM | Lucknow |
| April 12 | MI vs RCB | 7.30 PM | Mumbai |
