The wait for IPL 2026 is over: Schedule of first 20 matches released, know when the full list will come… This is RR’s home ground plan

New Delhi: There is good news for IPL fans. BCCI has officially released the schedule of the first phase (Phase-1) of TATA IPL 2026. This part will run from March 28 to April 12, which includes a total of 20 exciting matches. The tournament will begin with defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Why was only half the schedule released?

There were rumors of a full 80-plus match schedule in the past weeks, but the BCCI has postponed it due to election reasons. Assembly elections are to be held in Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal (and Kerala, Puducherry). Where elections are to be held in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry on 9 April 2026, in Tamil Nadu on 23 April 2026, in West Bengal in two phases on 23 and 29 April 2026. The counting of votes will take place on May 4, 2026.

No matches will be held in Guwahati (April 9), Chennai (April 23), and Kolkata (April 23 and 29) on these dates, so that law and order and policing are not affected. After the election schedule, BCCI can now release the complete schedule of the remaining 54+ matches soon. In many reports, it is expected to arrive on March 26 or in the next few days.

What is the picture of Rajasthan Royals (RR) home matches?

The biggest curiosity of the fans is on RR’s home grounds. In the first phase, Rajasthan Royals will play three home games in Guwahati (ACA Stadium, Barsapara):
– March 30: RR vs CSK (Guwahati)
– 7 April: RR vs MI (Guwahati)
– April 10: RR vs RCB (Guwahati)

One match is GT vs RR (April 4) in Ahmedabad. Indications are that Guwahati has been made the initial secondary home venue, while the rest of the home matches are likely to be held at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Final confirmation will be given only when the full schedule comes.

Tournament Overview:

– Start: 28 March 2026 (RCB vs SRH, Bengaluru)
– Final: 31 May 2026
– Total matches: 84 (between 10 teams)
– Venue: 10 cities in the first phase – Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad.