The Indian Premier League 2026 season is set to begin soon, but fans will have to wait a little longer for the complete schedule. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has currently released the fixtures for only the first phase of the tournament.

On March 11, the board announced the schedule for the first 20 matches of the season. However, the dates and venues for the remaining matches will be revealed later.

When Will the Remaining IPL Matches Be Announced?

According to Rajiv Shukla, the rest of the schedule will be released once the Election Commission of India announces the dates for upcoming state assembly elections.

Several IPL matches are planned in states where elections are expected this year, making it necessary for authorities to coordinate security arrangements before finalizing the fixtures.

IPL 2026 Opening Match

The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League will start on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The opening game will feature defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The matches scheduled so far will run until April 12, during which each team is expected to play around three to four matches.

Why the Full Schedule Has Not Been Released

Assembly elections are expected to take place in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam—all states that are also scheduled to host IPL games.

To ensure smooth security arrangements and proper coordination with authorities, the BCCI decided to release the tournament schedule in phases.

BCCI’s Statement

Rajiv Shukla confirmed that IPL 2026 will proceed as planned, and the remaining match schedule will be announced soon after the election dates are finalized.