The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season will begin on March 28, broadcaster Star Sports confirmed on Sunday.
The announcement was made ahead of the India vs New Zealand ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The full schedule for the IPL 2026 season has not yet been released. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will enter the tournament as defending champions after defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in the 2025 final in Ahmedabad.
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) secretary Santosh Menon earlier confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host five of RCB’s home matches during the 2026 season.
The stadium will also host the IPL 2026 final and one playoff match.
RCB’s remaining two home fixtures in the tournament will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
In a statement, the franchise said it appreciated the support of the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru.
RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium remains central to the team’s identity and its connection with supporters.
Cricket activities at the venue had been suspended since June last year after a stampede during RCB’s IPL 2025 title celebration resulted in 11 deaths and several injuries.
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