IPL 2026 opening schedule by team: Complete Guide

In this article
  1. IPL 2026 opening schedule by team: every franchise’s first match
  2. Team-by-team first match guide
  3. Opening 20 confirmed IPL 2026 fixtures
  4. Quick schedule notes
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

IPL 2026 opening schedule by team: every franchise’s first match

The IPL 2026 opening schedule by team is the fastest way to check how each franchise begins the season. Below, you’ll find each side’s first confirmed fixture, plus the opening 20-match schedule for quick reference.

IPL 2026 starts on 28 March, and the first 20 confirmed fixtures run through 12 April. Every team appears at least once in that opening block, so fans can scan straight to their club’s opener.

Team-by-team first match guide

Team First match date Opponent Venue Time IST
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 28 Mar 2026 Sunrisers Hyderabad M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:30 PM
Sunrisers Hyderabad 28 Mar 2026 Royal Challengers Bengaluru M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:30 PM
Mumbai Indians 29 Mar 2026 Kolkata Knight Riders Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 7:30 PM
Kolkata Knight Riders 29 Mar 2026 Mumbai Indians Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai 7:30 PM
Rajasthan Royals 30 Mar 2026 Chennai Super Kings Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 7:30 PM
Chennai Super Kings 30 Mar 2026 Rajasthan Royals Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur 7:30 PM
Punjab Kings 31 Mar 2026 Gujarat Titans IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali 7:30 PM
Gujarat Titans 31 Mar 2026 Punjab Kings IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali 7:30 PM
Lucknow Super Giants 1 Apr 2026 Delhi Capitals Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow 7:30 PM
Delhi Capitals 1 Apr 2026 Lucknow Super Giants Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow 7:30 PM
  • The season has 84 matches scheduled, according to The Hindu snippet in the corpus.
  • Chennai Super Kings begin their campaign on 30 March against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
  • Kolkata Knight Riders begin against Mumbai Indians on 29 March.
  • Mumbai Indians have the complete list of all 70 league-stage matches after the second phase release.
  • Sunrisers Hyderabad start without regular captain Pat Cummins for the first few matches.

Opening 20 confirmed IPL 2026 fixtures

Match No. Date Time IST Teams Venue
1 28 Mar 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
2 29 Mar 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
3 30 Mar 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
4 31 Mar 7:30 PM Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
5 1 Apr 7:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
6 2 Apr 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Eden Gardens, Kolkata
7 3 Apr 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
8 4 Apr 3:30 PM Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
9 4 Apr 7:30 PM Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
10 5 Apr 3:30 PM Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
11 5 Apr 7:30 PM Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
12 6 Apr 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings Eden Gardens, Kolkata
13 7 Apr 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
14 8 Apr 7:30 PM Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
15 9 Apr 7:30 PM Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants Eden Gardens, Kolkata
16 10 Apr 7:30 PM Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
17 11 Apr 3:30 PM Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
18 11 Apr 7:30 PM Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
19 12 Apr 3:30 PM Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
20 12 Apr 7:30 PM Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Quick schedule notes

  • Double-header dates in the opening stretch: 4 April, 5 April, 11 April and 12 April.
  • The season is scheduled for 84 matches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the IPL 2026 opening schedule by team begin?

IPL 2026 begins on 28 March 2026. The opening match is Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru at 7:30 PM IST.

What is the first match in the IPL 2026 opening schedule by team for Mumbai Indians?

Mumbai Indians open their IPL 2026 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders. That match is scheduled for 29 March 2026 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai at 7:30 PM IST.

Where do Chennai Super Kings play their first IPL 2026 match?

Chennai Super Kings begin IPL 2026 in Jaipur. Their first match is against Rajasthan Royals on 30 March 2026 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium at 7:30 PM IST.

How many matches are in the IPL 2026 opening schedule by team block?

The opening block includes 20 confirmed fixtures. Those matches run from 28 March to 12 April 2026, and every team appears at least once.

Which teams play the first IPL 2026 double-header dates?

The opening schedule has double-header dates on 4 April, 5 April, 11 April and 12 April. Those days feature two matches each, with both afternoon and evening start times.

Why is Sunrisers Hyderabad's IPL 2026 opening schedule important?

Sunrisers Hyderabad start IPL 2026 without regular captain Pat Cummins for the first few matches. Their opener is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 28 March 2026 in Bengaluru.

Will the IPL 2026 opening schedule by team cover every franchise early in the season?

Every franchise appears in the first 20 confirmed fixtures. That opening stretch runs through 12 April 2026, so fans can check their team’s first match quickly.