The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League will begin on March 28. The date was confirmed by the official broadcaster, Star Sports, on Sunday, March 8, ahead of the India vs New Zealand ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final. Hours before defending champions India retained the trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Star Sports announced the date for the opening game of IPL 2026.
However, the detailed itinerary for the tournament is yet to be revealed as the BCCI and IPL governing council await clarity regarding the dates of legislative assembly elections in different states. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the defending champions, will return to their home ground — M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs to lift the trophy.
ALSO READ: In Pics: From SKY To Samson, How Indian Team Celebrated T20 World Cup Win
Santosh Menon, Secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), clarified that RCB will play five of their seven home games during the league stage at the venue. The other two matches will be played in Chhattisgarh's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.
A cloud of uncertainty had hovered over M Chinnaswamy Stadium and RCB getting to play their home matches at the ground after the horrific stampede of June 4, 2025, when chaotic scenes during RCB's victory parade with the trophy led to 11 deaths and several injuries. The incident raised doubts over the ground's preparedness for largescale gatherings and resulted in a temporary suspension, with matches of the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 being shifted.
The ban was lifted on January 17 after the Karnataka state government granted conditional approval to resume cricket operations at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The announcement was subject to KSCA and RCB's compliance with all the security terms laid down by the authorities.
"RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru," a statement by the franchise read.
"The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground," the statement added.
IPL 2026 is expected to follow the same format as last year, with 10 franchises playing 14 games each during the league stage and the top 4 qualifying for the play-offs.
ALSO READ: India Record Third T20 World Cup Win: From Tendulkar To Kohli, Congratulatory Messages Pour In
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
