IPL 2026 Second Phase to Begin April 13, Full Schedule Announced

New Delhi, March 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced the schedule for the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, confirming that the next leg of the tournament will begin on April 13.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the resumed league will kick off with a clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. He also added that venues for the playoffs will be announced at a later stage.

Earlier, the BCCI had released the schedule for only the first 20 matches due to assembly elections in states such as Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. With the Election Commission of India finalising polling dates, the board has now unveiled the full schedule for the remainder of the tournament.

The second phase will feature 50 matches played across 12 venues between April 13 and May 24. Matches will be hosted in major cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Dharamsala, Raipur, and New Chandigarh.

A total of eight double-headers have been scheduled, with afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST and evening games at 7:30 PM IST. Punjab Kings will split their home fixtures between New Chandigarh and Dharamsala, while Rajasthan Royals will play their remaining home matches in Jaipur. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host games in both Bengaluru and Raipur.

One of the highlights of the phase will be the two encounters between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, scheduled for April 23 in Mumbai and May 2 in Chennai.

The HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala will also host the rescheduled clash between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings on May 11, a fixture that was disrupted last season. The league stage will conclude on May 24 with a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens.

The IPL 2026 season had earlier begun on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru.