IPL 2026 set to kick off on March 26, final to be played on May 31

NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is set to take place from March 26 to May 31, continuing its traditional slot in the cricket calendar.

Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to release the complete schedule, the 19th edition of the tournament is expected to begin around three weeks after the T20 World Cup, which will be held from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka, and will conclude at the end of May, as per ESPNcricinfo.

This also means that the IPL will overlap with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for the second consecutive year, with the PSL scheduled from March 26 to May 3.

Meanwhile, preparations for the IPL are already in full swing as franchises gear up for the auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.

A total of 369 players have been shortlisted for the auction, with 77 slots up for grabs, including 31 reserved for overseas players. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have the highest number of vacancies at 13, followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad with ten. Following trades and player retentions, KKR also hold the largest remaining purse at INR 64.30 crore (approximately USD 7.1 million), while Chennai Super Kings are next with INR 43.40 crore (around USD 4.8 million).

IPL 2025 was initially scheduled for a similar timeframe, from March 22 to May 25, but escalating cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan led to a temporary suspension of the tournament on May 9. The competition resumed on May 15 and eventually concluded on June 3.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched the title in the final, ending their long wait for the trophy with a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad.

However, the celebrations in Bengaluru were marred by tragedy, as stampede-like situations outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in the deaths of 11 people.

A subsequent inquiry declared the stadium unfit to host large-scale events. (ANI)