IPL 2026 Is Almost Here: Know Start Date, Opening Match, Teams and Winners History

When Does IPL 2026 Start?  Opening Match and Final Date

The commencement of the IPL 2026 is expected to be on March 28, 2026, and will go on until May 31, 2026. The inaugural game of the IPL 2026 season is expected to be played at Bengaluru, which is at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

IPL 2026 Start Date, Venue: Cricket fans all over the world, especially from India, are eagerly waiting for the commencement of the new season of the Indian Premier League 2026. Fans want to know when the new season of the world’s most popular and lucrative T20 league will kick off. Questions related to the opening game, venue, and location of the IPL 2026 final have already created quite a buzz.

Countdown to IPL 2026: When Will the New Season Start?

As per various reports, IPL 2026 is expected to commence on March 28, 2026, and conclude on May 31, 2026. The first match of the IPL 2026 season is expected to take place in Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore are expected to play the first match of IPL 2026, which could be against the 2025 IPL runner-up Punjab Kings.

RCB is expected to begin their title defense at home in Bengaluru.

The final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 tournament is set to take place on May 31. At the same time, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to announce the first phase of the IPL schedule soon, which will include around 20 matches.

IPL 2026: Full List of Teams Participating in the Tournament

A total of 10 teams will compete in IPL 2026. These include:

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Punjab Kings

Delhi Capitals

Chennai Super Kings

Rajasthan Royals

Mumbai Indians

Gujarat Titans

Lucknow Super Giants

Kolkata Knight Riders

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Who Are the Probable Captains for Every IPL 2026 Franchise?

Royal Challengers Bangalore - Rajat Patidar

Punjab Kings - Shreyas Iyer

Delhi Capitals - Axar Patel

Chennai Super Kings - Ruturaj Gaikwad

Rajasthan Royals - Riyan Parag

Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya

Gujarat Titans - Shubman Gill

Lucknow Super Giants - Rishabh Pant

Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane

Sunrisers Hyderabad - Pat Cummins

IPL winners List: Every Champion in Indian Premier League History

The IPL tournament started in the year 2008 when the Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural championship. Since then, the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings have been the most successful teams in the IPL, having won the championship five times each. The Kolkata Knight Riders come third with three championships.

In the latest edition (2025) of the IPL, the Royal Challengers Bangalore won their first IPL championship when they beat the Punjab Kings in the final played in Ahmedabad.

With the announcement of the fixtures imminent, the excitement for the upcoming IPL 2026 is likely to build up among cricket fans worldwide