IPL 2026 Matches — Full Schedule, Live Scores & AI Predictions

IPL 2026 MATCH SCHEDULE

IPL 2026 COMPLETE SCHEDULE: ALL 74 MATCHES

The Indian Premier League 2026 features 74 matches played across 10 venues in India from March 28 to May 31, 2026. The 19th edition of IPL follows the same format as recent seasons: 70 league matches (each team plays 14 — 7 home and 7 away) followed by 4 playoff matches (Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final).

IPL 2026 marks significant changes in team leadership. Hardik Pandya continues as Mumbai Indians captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad leads defending intent at CSK, and Rajat Patidar captains RCB after their historic maiden title win in 2025. Ajinkya Rahane takes over KKR, Axar Patel leads DC, Rishabh Pant captains LSG, Riyan Parag heads RR, Pat Cummins continues at SRH, Shubman Gill leads GT, and Shreyas Iyer captains PBKS.

SCHEDULE STRUCTURE AND PHASES

Phase 1 (March 28 - April 12): The opening phase features 20 matches with most teams playing at their home grounds. This early stretch often sets the tone for the season, with home advantage playing a significant role in building momentum. Double-headers (afternoon + evening matches) are scheduled on weekends.

Phase 2 (April 15 - May 23): The bulk of the league stage — 50 matches across 39 days. This phase includes the most critical fixtures as teams fight for the top-4 playoff positions. The intensity increases dramatically after Match 50 as elimination scenarios crystallise.

Playoffs (May 27 - May 31): The top 4 teams from the league stage compete in 4 matches. Qualifier 1 (1st vs 2nd) gives the winner a direct path to the Final. The Eliminator (3rd vs 4th) sends the loser home. Qualifier 2 (loser of Q1 vs winner of Eliminator) determines the second finalist.

VENUE DISTRIBUTION

IPL 2026 matches are spread across India's premier cricket stadiums. Each franchise plays 7 home matches at their designated home venue. The 10 venues include Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Hyderabad), Sawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur), Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi), BRSABV Ekana Stadium (Lucknow), and IS Bindra Stadium (Mohali).

Venue characteristics significantly impact match outcomes. Chinnaswamy's small boundaries and high altitude favour batsmen, while Chepauk's spin-friendly conditions suit teams with quality spinners. Understanding venue dynamics is crucial for match predictions — CricMind's Oracle engine weights venue advantage as 10% of its pre-match prediction model.

KEY RIVALRIES IN IPL 2026

MI vs CSK: The "El Clasico" of IPL — the two most successful franchises with 5 titles each. Their encounters consistently draw the highest viewership of any IPL match.

RCB vs MI: High-octane encounters between two of the most supported franchises. RCB enter IPL 2026 as the defending champions from their 2025 maiden title, adding a new dimension to this rivalry.

KKR vs SRH: The battle of Eastern India featuring intense cricket at Eden Gardens. KKR won IPL 2024, while SRH have consistently fielded competitive squads.

MATCH TIMINGS AND BROADCAST

Evening matches in IPL 2026 start at 7:30 PM IST — the prime-time slot that attracts the largest television and streaming audience. Afternoon matches on double-header days begin at 3:30 PM IST. All matches are broadcast live on JioCinema (streaming) and Star Sports (television) in India.

For fans following CricMind.ai, the Live Dashboard provides real-time ball-by-ball updates, AI-powered commentary, and live win probability tracking throughout every match.