The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the schedule for the first phase of the Indian Premier League 2026, and fans across the country are already rushing to secure tickets. The tournament will begin on March 28, while the first phase will continue until April 12. The cricket board has released details of the first 20 matches, while the complete schedule for the remaining fixtures will be announced once election dates are confirmed in three states scheduled to hold Assembly elections during the same period.
Opening Match and Key Fixtures
The 19th edition of the IPL will kick off with a high-profile clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28. A day later, Mumbai Indians will meet Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Venues and Match Timings
During the first phase, 20 matches will be played across ten venues including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The schedule also includes four double-headers. Afternoon games will begin at 3:30 PM IST, while evening fixtures will start at 7:30 PM IST.
The first double-header of IPL 2026 is scheduled for April 4. In the afternoon, Delhi Capitals will host Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Later that evening, Gujarat Titans will take on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Teams With Multiple Home Venues
Several teams will play their home matches in more than one city this season. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home games in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings will host four matches at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala. Rajasthan Royals will begin their home campaign in Guwahati, where they will host Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, before shifting to Jaipur for four matches.
IPL 2026 Ticket Booking Details
Although the BCCI has not officially announced ticket sales, the booking process is expected to follow the same pattern as previous seasons. Pre-sale registrations for Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans home games have already opened on the BookMyShow platform. Tickets are also expected to be available through District by Zomato and official team websites once sales begin.
Fans will be able to book tickets online by selecting the desired match, choosing seats through the stadium map, and completing payment via debit card, credit card, UPI, net banking or digital wallets. Tickets will then be delivered through email or SMS.
Offline tickets can be purchased from authorised stadium counters or designated retail outlets. Fans must carry a valid photo ID such as Aadhaar card, PAN card or passport while booking tickets at the counter.
IPL 2026 Phase 1 Overview
The first phase of IPL 2026 will feature 20 matches scheduled between March 28 and April 12 across multiple venues in India.
