The 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), also known as TATA IPL 2026, is all set to commence tonight, Saturday, March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore at 7:30 PM IST.
From March 28 to May 31, 74 games will be played at different locations around India. The teams have been split into two groups according to how many IPL titles they have won, same like in past seasons.
Group A: Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals (1), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (1), Chennai Super Kings (5), and Kolkata Knight Riders (3).
Group B: Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans (1), Sunrisers Hyderabad (1), and Mumbai Indians (5).
The IPL 2026 season is anticipated to go according to the standard schedule, with ten teams competing in 70 league games before the playoffs. During the league stage, each team will play both home and away games. Usually, doubleheaders, two games in one day, are planned for the weekends.
Matches will begin in the afternoon at 3:30 PM IST and in the evening at 7:30 PM IST. Each of the ten franchises will play 14 games, seven at home and seven away. Matches will be played at 12 stadiums in India. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host both the opening and final games.
The top four teams from the league stage will make it to the playoffs. The team that finishes top in the standings will face the second-placed team in Qualifier 1, with the winner advancing directly to the Finals. The loser of Qualifier 1 will have an additional chance to proceed to the final in Qualifier 2. The victor of the Eliminator, which pits the third and fourth-placed teams, will meet the loser of Qualifier 1 in a do-or-die match, with the winner advancing to the Finals.
Where to watch:
Cricket fans can watch the upcoming 19th season of the lucrative T20 competition on JioStar (streaming on JioHotstar, television coverage on Star Network).
