IPL 2026 opening day date and first match
The IPL 2026 opening day date and first match are set for Saturday, March 28, 2026, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad at 7:30 PM IST at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
Confirmed opening fixtures
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Match 2 | Sunday, March 29, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Match 3 | Monday, March 30, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| Match 4 | Tuesday, March 31, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Mohali |
The opening block runs from March 28 to March 31, 2026 before the schedule moves into April, and the second phase of the IPL 2026 schedule has been officially released according to the corpus snippet on Mumbai Indians' full schedule. The corpus also says the opening match is on 28 March as part of the first half of the 2026 IPL schedule.
Quick opening-day scan
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Match 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
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Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
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Time: 7:30 PM IST
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Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
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Match 2: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders
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Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
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Time: 7:30 PM IST
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Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
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Match 3: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings
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Date: Monday, March 30, 2026
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Time: 7:30 PM IST
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Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
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Match 4: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans
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Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
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Time: 7:30 PM IST
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Venue: Mohali