Indian Premier League 2026 set to begin on March 28

The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin on March 28, broadcaster Star Sports announced on Sunday. The confirmation came shortly before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

However, the full match schedule for IPL 2026 is yet to be released by the league organisers.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the upcoming season as the defending champions after defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in the 2025 final held in Ahmedabad.

Earlier, Karnataka State Cricket Association Secretary Santosh Menon confirmed that five of RCB’s home matches will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during the 2026 season. The stadium is also scheduled to host the IPL 2026 final and one playoff match.

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Meanwhile, the team’s remaining two home games will take place at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.

In an official statement, RCB thanked the Karnataka government, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their cooperation in ensuring the successful hosting of matches in Bengaluru. The franchise said the joint efforts to upgrade infrastructure and strengthen security arrangements have helped ensure that most of their home fixtures will be played at their primary venue.