The 2026 IPL season is scheduled to start on 28 March 2026, with the opening match featuring defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Quick Scoop: IPL 2026 Start Date

  • Official window for IPL 2026: 28 March 2026 to 31 May 2026.
  • Opening game: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru on 28 March 2026.
  • First phase schedule (28 March–12 April) has already been released by BCCI, with remaining fixtures to follow after state election dates are finalised.

Why there was confusion about the start

Earlier, IPL 2026 was initially communicated to franchises as starting on 26 March 2026, but this was later shifted to 28 March.

The adjustment is linked to assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which delayed the finalisation of the full schedule.

In forum-style discussions and news updates, you’ll still sometimes see 26 March mentioned, but the latest confirmed start date is 28 March 2026.

Latest news & trending context

  • BCCI has officially announced the first-phase fixtures from 28 March to 12 April 2026.
  • Major sports outlets like ESPNcricinfo and Olympics.com list the tournament window as 28 March–31 May 2026.
  • Fans are also talking about the expanded 84-match format for this season, with 10 teams playing through to the final on 31 May.

TL;DR

  • When is IPL 2026 starting? → 28 March 2026.
  • Opening match? → RCB vs SRH at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.