IPL 2026 opening weekend fixtures: RCB vs SRH leads five-night start
IPL 2026 opening weekend fixtures begin with Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28, 2026 at 7:30 PM IST at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The opening match is confirmed by the schedule release as the first game of IPL 2026, with CNBC TV18 reporting the Bengaluru opener and BBC’s fixture listing confirming 28 March as the start date.
- Five confirmed matches from March 28 to April 1
- All five games start at 7:30 PM IST
- Five venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Jaipur, Mohali and Lucknow
| Match No. | Date | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 28, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 2 | March 29, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 3 | March 30, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 4 | March 31, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| 5 | April 1, 2026 | 7:30 PM IST | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
The five confirmed fixtures give the season a clean, five-night start across five cities, before the league stage continues from April 13 to May 24, 2026 across 12 venues in India. BBC’s fixture listing and CNBC TV18 both back the opening date and Bengaluru opener, while the schedule release confirms the first match details and complete match list.
IPL 2026 opening weekend fixtures: quick reference
If you want the first five days in one glance, the opening stretch runs from March 28 to April 1, with one match each night at 7:30 PM IST. For the wider calendar, see the full IPL 2026 schedule.