why IPL 2026 schedule shows scheduled matches in April
The IPL 2026 schedule shows so many scheduled matches in April because the tournament starts on March 28, the opening phase runs through April 12, and four double-header days are already packed into that window. ESPN reports IPL 2026 starts on March 28, two days after the BCCI had originally planned, while The Hindu says the season has 84 matches scheduled.
That means April is doing two jobs at once: it carries the tail end of the opening run and then leads straight into the next league-stage block. The result is a dense cluster of fixtures on the calendar before the schedule moves fully into its second phase.
Confirmed first 20 matches
| Match No. | Date | Time IST | Teams | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 28 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 2 | Mar 29 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 3 | Mar 30 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 4 | Mar 31 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| 5 | Apr 1 | 7:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 6 | Apr 2 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 7 | Apr 3 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 8 | Apr 4 | 3:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 9 | Apr 4 | 7:30 PM | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 10 | Apr 5 | 3:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 11 | Apr 5 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 12 | Apr 6 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 13 | Apr 7 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 14 | Apr 8 | 7:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 15 | Apr 9 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 16 | Apr 10 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 17 | Apr 11 | 3:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| 18 | Apr 11 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 19 | Apr 12 | 3:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 20 | Apr 12 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
The April squeeze is visible inside that table. There are double-headers on April 4, April 5, April 11 and April 12, which means two matches are scheduled on the same day four times in quick succession.
That compresses more fixtures into fewer calendar days, especially in the first half of April. It is the main reason the month looks crowded before the league stage moves into its next block.
How the two-phase rollout explains the April load
The BCCI says the remainder of the league stage, comprising 50 matches, runs from April 13 to May 24, 2026, across 12 venues in India. Because that second block begins on April 13, there is no gap between the opening run and the larger league-stage stretch.
| Phase | Date Range | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Mar 28 to Apr 12, 2026 | Opening 20 matches of the league stage |
| Phase 2 | Apr 13 to May 24, 2026 | Remainder of the league stage, 50 matches across 12 venues in India |
That structure explains why April carries so many scheduled matches. The opening phase runs deep into the month, and the next phase starts immediately after it ends.
Bottom line
IPL 2026 shows so many scheduled matches in April because the opening phase runs into April 12, the fixture list includes multiple double-headers, and the BCCI's second league-stage block starts immediately on April 13.