IPL 2026: will begin play on March 26 and conclude on May 31

IPL 2026: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 would continue to occupy its customary spot in the cricket calendar, running from March 26 to May 31.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the 19th edition of the tournament is anticipated to start approximately three weeks after the T20 World Cup, which will take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. The tournament will end at the end of May, though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet released the full schedule.

Additionally, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is set to run from March 26 to May 3, will coincide with the IPL for the second year in a row.

As franchisees get set for the auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, IPL preparations are already well underway.

There are 77 spots available for the auction, including 31 for players from abroad, out of the 369 players who have been shortlisted. With thirteen openings, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has the most, followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad with 10. With INR 64.30 crore (about USD 7.1 million) after trades and player retentions, KKR also has the most remaining purse, followed by Chennai Super Kings with INR 43.40 crore (around USD 4.8 million).

IPL 2025 was originally planned to take place between March 22 and May 25. However, on May 9, the competition was temporarily suspended due to rising cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. The contest started up again on May 15 and ended on June 3.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in Ahmedabad to win the championship and put an end to their protracted trophy hunt.

However, the festivities in Bengaluru were tainted by tragedy, as eleven people lost their lives in stampede-like scenarios outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The stadium was deemed unsuitable for hosting major events after a follow-up investigation.