IPL 2026 first week schedule and key matches
The busiest stretch of the opening phase lands on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5, when IPL 2026 serves up double-headers and headline fixtures in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Across the full first-week window from March 30 to April 5, 2026, there are 8 confirmed matches across 7 days.
This is the live first-week timetable, with the season already underway before this window begins.
IPL 2026 first week schedule
| Date | Day | Match | Time (IST) | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 2026 | Mon | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM IST | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur |
| Mar 31, 2026 | Tue | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | 7:30 PM IST | IS Bindra Stadium | Mohali |
| Apr 1, 2026 | Wed | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | 7:30 PM IST | Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow |
| Apr 2, 2026 | Thu | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7:30 PM IST | Eden Gardens | Kolkata |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Fri | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | 7:30 PM IST | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai |
| Apr 4, 2026 | Sat | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | 3:30 PM IST | Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi |
| Apr 4, 2026 | Sat | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | 7:30 PM IST | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad |
| Apr 5, 2026 | Sun | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | 3:30 PM IST | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Hyderabad |
| Apr 5, 2026 | Sun | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM IST | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru |
Key matches in the first week
| Date | Fixture | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 30 | RR vs CSK | First match in the March 30 to April 5 window. |
| Apr 4 | DC vs MI | First half of the Saturday double-header. |
| Apr 4 | GT vs RR | Second half of the Saturday double-header. |
| Apr 5 | SRH vs LSG | First half of the Sunday double-header. |
| Apr 5 | RCB vs CSK | Final match of the first-week window. |
The first-week venues span Jaipur, Mohali, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Evening matches are set for 7:30 PM IST, while the two afternoon starts on the double-header days begin at 3:30 PM IST.
Key takeaway: IPL 2026’s first week delivers 8 matches in 7 days, with double-headers on April 4 and April 5 and the window ending with RCB vs CSK in Bengaluru.