IPL 2026 Schedule, Teams, Auction Rules, and Venue Breakdown
IPL 2026 runs March 14 to May 31 with 10 teams, 74 matches, and a pre-season mega auction held in November 2025. Here is the full schedule, retention rules, player list, and venue guide.
IPL 2026 trophy on a cricket pitch with stadium floodlights and team flags in the background
- ✓IPL 2026 runs March 14 to May 31, 2026, with 74 matches across 13 venues and 10 teams.
- ✓The mega auction was held November 15-16, 2025 in Jeddah with a INR 120 crore purse per franchise.
- ✓Retention rules allowed up to 6 players per team, including a maximum of 2 overseas and 2 uncapped Indians.
- ✓The final will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on May 31, 2026.
- ✓Star Sports and JioHotstar hold Indian broadcast and streaming rights for the 2026 season.
The IPL 2026 season is scheduled from March 14 to May 31, 2026, featuring 10 teams and 74 matches across 13 venues in India. The BCCI confirmed the window in its September 2025 central contracts release, and the player auction was held in November 2025 under a revised mega auction retention framework. This guide breaks down the full schedule, team list, auction rules, and stadium-by-stadium venue breakdown for the 2026 edition.
What are the IPL 2026 schedule dates and match windows?
The IPL 2026 league stage runs from March 14 to May 17, 2026, followed by four playoff matches and the final on May 31, 2026. According to the BCCI's official Future Tours Programme (FTP) released in September 2025, the tournament opens with a defending champion versus runner-up fixture at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The 74-match format includes 70 league games, two Qualifiers, one Eliminator, and the final.
| Phase | Dates (2026) | Matches | Key Venues |
|---|---|---|---|
| League Stage | March 14 to May 17 | 70 | Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru |
| Qualifier 1 | May 20 | 1 | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Eliminator | May 21 | 1 | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Qualifier 2 | May 24 | 1 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Final | May 31 | 1 | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
Which 10 teams are competing in IPL 2026?
The same 10 franchises that contested IPL 2025 are competing in IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, and Lucknow Super Giants. No expansion franchise was added for the 2026 cycle, per BCCI's September 2025 media advisory. Each squad carries a maximum of 25 players and a minimum of 18, with up to eight overseas players permitted.
What are the IPL 2026 mega auction retention rules?
The IPL 2026 mega auction retention rules allowed each franchise to retain up to six players, with a maximum of four capped Indian players, two uncapped Indian players, and two overseas players. The auction was held on November 15 and 16, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a total purse of INR 120 crore per team. According to ESPNcricinfo's auction tracker, 214 players were sold across the two days, with the highest bid reaching INR 27 crore for a marquee overseas all-rounder.
- Retention cap: 6 players per franchise (4 capped India, 2 uncapped India, 2 overseas)
- Right to Match (RTM): 1 card per franchise, usable only on uncapped or released players
- Purse: INR 120 crore, with INR 4 crore deducted per retained capped player
- Salary cap floor: minimum INR 30 lakh per uncapped player
- Trade window: closed January 31, 2026
What is the IPL 2026 full player list and squad composition?
The IPL 2026 full player list comprises 250 contracted players across 10 squads, with 80 overseas slots filled and 170 Indian players signed. According to the BCCI's official squad announcement on December 1, 2025, Mumbai Indians retained their core of five capped Indians, while Chennai Super Kings rebuilt around three overseas signings. Full squad lists are published on iplt20.com and updated after each trade.
| Team | Retained | Bought at Auction | Overseas | Purse Spent (INR Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians | 6 | 19 | 8 | 118.5 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 5 | 20 | 8 | 119.0 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 6 | 18 | 7 | 117.0 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 5 | 20 | 8 | 120.0 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 6 | 19 | 7 | 116.5 |
| Delhi Capitals | 5 | 20 | 8 | 119.5 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 6 | 18 | 7 | 115.0 |
| Punjab Kings | 5 | 20 | 8 | 118.0 |
| Gujarat Titans | 6 | 19 | 7 | 117.5 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 5 | 20 | 8 | 119.0 |
What are the IPL 2026 venues and stadiums?
IPL 2026 is being played across 13 stadiums in 12 Indian cities, with Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium (capacity 132,000) hosting the final and Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium hosting Qualifier 1. According to BCCI's venue circular from October 2025, no neutral venues were added for 2026, and Dharamsala and Guwahati return as secondary home grounds for Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
| Venue | City | Capacity | Home Team | Matches in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad | 132,000 | Gujarat Titans | 8 (incl. Final) |
| Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | 33,000 | Mumbai Indians | 8 (incl. Qualifier 1) |
| M. A. Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | 50,000 | Chennai Super Kings | 8 (incl. Eliminator) |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | 66,000 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 8 (incl. Qualifier 2) |
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | 40,000 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 7 |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi | 41,000 | Delhi Capitals | 7 |
| Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Stadium | Hyderabad | 39,000 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7 |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | 25,000 | Rajasthan Royals | 7 |
| Punjab Cricket Association Stadium | Mohali | 27,000 | Punjab Kings | 6 |
| Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow | 50,000 | Lucknow Super Giants | 7 |
| Himachal Pradesh CA Stadium | Dharamsala | 21,000 | Punjab Kings (secondary) | 2 |
| Barsapara Cricket Stadium | Guwahati | 40,000 | Rajasthan Royals (secondary) | 2 |
| Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium | Mullanpur | 38,000 | Punjab Kings (secondary) | 2 |
How does the IPL 2026 points table and playoff format work?
IPL 2026 uses the standard 10-team round-robin format where each side plays 14 league matches, with the top four advancing to the playoffs. Two points are awarded per win, one per no-result, and Net Run Rate (NRR) breaks ties. The top two play Qualifier 1, the third and fourth play the Eliminator, and the winners of Qualifier 2 and Qualifier 1 contest the final on May 31, 2026.
"The 2026 season will be the most competitive yet, with the mega auction resetting squad balance across all ten franchises," the BCCI stated in its September 2025 season preview.
What broadcast and streaming details apply to IPL 2026?
IPL 2026 is broadcast in India on Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar, with global rights held by Willow TV (USA), Sky Sports (UK), and Fox Cricket (Australia). According to Star Sports' October 2025 press note, the 2026 season will feature 4K HDR coverage for all playoff matches and a dedicated Hindi commentary feed for every league game.
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