IPL 2026 opening week venues guide: Match-by-match schedule table for March 28 to April 12
IPL 2026 opening week venues guide: Match-by-match schedule table for March 28 to April 12
The IPL 2026 opening week venues guide starts with Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sat, Mar 28 at 7:30 PM IST at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. According to the confirmed fixture list, the first 20 matches run from March 28 to April 12, with every game locked to a specific stadium and city.
| Match No. | Date | Time IST | Teams | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, Mar 28 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru |
| 2 | Sun, Mar 29 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai |
| 3 | Mon, Mar 30 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur |
| 4 | Tue, Mar 31 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | IS Bindra Stadium | Mohali |
| 5 | Wed, Apr 1 | 7:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow |
| 6 | Thu, Apr 2 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens | Kolkata |
| 7 | Fri, Apr 3 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai |
| 8 | Sat, Apr 4 | 3:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi |
| 9 | Sat, Apr 4 | 7:30 PM | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad |
| 10 | Sun, Apr 5 | 3:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Hyderabad |
| 11 | Sun, Apr 5 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru |
| 12 | Mon, Apr 6 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens | Kolkata |
| 13 | Tue, Apr 7 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur |
| 14 | Wed, Apr 8 | 7:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans | Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi |
| 15 | Thu, Apr 9 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens | Kolkata |
| 16 | Fri, Apr 10 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur |
| 17 | Sat, Apr 11 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | IS Bindra Stadium | Mohali |
| 18 | Sun, Apr 12 | 3:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai |
| 19 | Sun, Apr 12 | 7:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans | Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow |
| 20 | Sun, Apr 12 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai |
Venue snapshot for the opening stretch
For readers scanning by ground, the IPL 2026 opening week venues guide shows repeated use of a few key stadiums, especially Eden Gardens, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Wankhede Stadium, and M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. That makes it easier to track travel, ticket plans, and city-based viewing windows ahead of IPL 2026 schedule.
| Stadium | City | Matches in opening stretch |
|---|---|---|
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | 1, 11 |
| Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 2, 20 |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | 3, 13, 16 |
| IS Bindra Stadium | Mohali | 4, 17 |
| Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow | 5, 19 |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | 6, 12, 15 |
| M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | 7, 18 |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi | 8, 14 |
| Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad | 9 |
| Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Hyderabad | 10 |
Double-header days to circle
The early schedule has two easy-to-scan double-header days. Apr 4 brings Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians at 3:30 PM in Delhi and Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals at 7:30 PM in Ahmedabad, while Apr 5 features Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants at 3:30 PM in Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings at 7:30 PM in Bengaluru.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time IST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Apr 4 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 3:30 PM |
| Sat, Apr 4 | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM |
| Sun, Apr 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | 3:30 PM |
| Sun, Apr 5 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 7:30 PM |
The league-stage note attached to the fixture release says the remaining 50 matches run from Apr 13 to May 24, 2026, across 12 venues in India. For the full later-season picture, see IPL 2026 venues list.
Key takeaway: The first 20 IPL 2026 matches are spread across 10 stadiums, with Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Mohali, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad all hosting confirmed early-season games.
IPL 2026 opening week venues guide: Stadium-by-stadium venue map for the first 20 matches
The first 20 IPL 2026 matches are spread across 10 confirmed venues, with the opening stretch running from March 28 to April 12 and two double-header days on April 4 and April 5, according to the fixture list circulating via Yahoo Sports and related schedule feeds. For an IPL 2026 opening week venues guide, the quickest way to track the action is by stadium, because several grounds host multiple early-season games.
| Stadium | City | Opening-stretch matches hosted |
|---|---|---|
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | Match 1: RCB vs SRH; Match 8: RCB vs CSK |
| Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | Match 2: MI vs KKR; Match 20: MI vs RCB |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | Match 3: RR vs CSK; Match 11: RR vs MI; Match 14: RR vs RCB |
| IS Bindra Stadium | Mohali | Match 4: PBKS vs GT; Match 13: KKR vs PBKS |
| Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow | Match 5: LSG vs DC; Match 15: KKR vs LSG; Match 18: LSG vs GT |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | Match 6: KKR vs SRH; Match 13: KKR vs PBKS; Match 15: KKR vs LSG |
| M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | Match 7: CSK vs PBKS; Match 17: CSK vs DC |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi | Match 9: DC vs MI; Match 16: DC vs GT |
| Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad | Match 10: GT vs RR; Match 19: PBKS vs SRH |
| Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Hyderabad | Match 12: SRH vs LSG; Match 19: PBKS vs SRH |
The IPL 2026 opening week venues guide is especially useful on the two split-fixture weekends. On Saturday, April 4, Delhi hosts DC vs MI at 3:30 PM IST before Ahmedabad stages GT vs RR at 7:30 PM IST. On Sunday, April 5, Hyderabad gets SRH vs LSG at 3:30 PM IST, then Bengaluru closes the day with RCB vs CSK at 7:30 PM IST.
April 4-5 double-header snapshot
| Date | Match | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 4 | DC vs MI | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 3:30 PM IST |
| April 4 | GT vs RR | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM IST |
| April 5 | SRH vs LSG | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | 3:30 PM IST |
| April 5 | RCB vs CSK | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 7:30 PM IST |
For readers checking the broader calendar, the first 20 fixtures cover the league’s early travel map before the rest of the season begins. Per the published schedule note, the remaining 50 matches run from April 13 to May 24, 2026, across 12 venues in India. See the full IPL 2026 schedule for the complete match list and timings.
Key takeaway: the early IPL 2026 calendar is venue-heavy, with repeat bookings at Bengaluru, Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkata and Lucknow shaping the first 20 matches.
IPL 2026 opening week venues guide: Frequently Asked Questions
IPL 2026 opening week venues guide starts with the opener: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, March 28 at 7:30 PM IST at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, according to the confirmed fixture list reported by ESPN India and Yahoo Sports. If you want the fastest scan, the key is simple: the first 20 matches are already mapped across the opening stretch, and the IPL 2026 opening week venues guide is really about where each game is being played, not team form.
Opener, double-headers and early venue stops
The opening weekend turns into a venue-heavy run immediately. April 4 is a double-header with Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians at 3:30 PM IST in Delhi, followed by Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals at 7:30 PM IST in Ahmedabad; April 5 brings Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants at 3:30 PM IST in Hyderabad, then Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings at 7:30 PM IST in Bengaluru.
For quick planning, here are the most searched timing questions:
| Date | Match | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat Mar 28 | RCB vs SRH | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 7:30 PM IST |
| Sat Apr 4 | DC vs MI | Delhi | 3:30 PM IST |
| Sat Apr 4 | GT vs RR | Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM IST |
| Sun Apr 5 | SRH vs LSG | Hyderabad | 3:30 PM IST |
| Sun Apr 5 | RCB vs CSK | Bengaluru | 7:30 PM IST |
Which venues host the most early matches?
Eden Gardens is one of the busiest early stops, with Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2, KKR vs Punjab Kings on April 6, and KKR vs Lucknow Super Giants on April 9. Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai hosts Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 and Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12, while Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur stages RR vs CSK on March 30, RR vs MI on April 7, and RR vs RCB on April 10.
| Stadium | City | Early matches scheduled |
|---|---|---|
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | RCB vs SRH, RCB vs CSK |
| Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | MI vs KKR, MI vs RCB |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | RR vs CSK, RR vs MI, RR vs RCB |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | KKR vs SRH, KKR vs PBKS, KKR vs LSG |
What happens after April 12?
The confirmed opening stretch covers Match 1 to Match 20 through Sunday, April 12, before the rest of the league stage begins. Per the published schedule notes, the remaining league stage comprises 50 matches from April 13 to May 24, 2026, across 12 venues in India; check the full IPL 2026 schedule for the complete match list.
Key takeaway: The IPL 2026 opening week venues guide is all about fast venue planning — opener in Bengaluru, two double-header days on April 4 and 5, and a confirmed 20-match opening stretch before the league stage continues from April 13.