IPL 2026 Schedule: First Phase Fixtures Announced, RCB to Host SRH in the Opening Clash

The biggest franchise cricket extravaganza is all set to commence on Saturday, March 28, which is just 16 days away. Fans were eagerly waiting for the Tata IPL 2026 schedule, and the BCCI unveiled the first-phase schedule of the tournament on Wednesday. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be playing host to their arch-rivals, the 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

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IPL 2026 Schedule for the first phase

The BCCI governing council has revealed the first phase schedule of the Tata IPL 2026, comprising 20 games until April 12. The remaining schedule of the tournament will be finalized once the election dates of the poll-bound states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala are announced.

The tournament starts on Saturday, but the first doubleheader will take place next weekend, i.e., on Saturday, April 4, with Delhi Capitals hosting 5-time champions Mumbai Indians, whereas the evening game will be played between two former champions, Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals, in Ahmedabad. Let’s take a close look at the first-phase schedule of the Tata IPL 2026.

Match No.	Date	Day	Time of the Day	Home	Away	Host City
1	28/03/26	Sat	Evening	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Bengaluru
2	29/03/26	Sun	Evening	Mumbai Indians	Kolkata Knight Riders	Mumbai
3	30/03/26	Mon	Evening	Rajasthan Royals	Chennai Super Kings	Guwahati
4	31/03/26	Tue	Evening	Punjab Kings	Gujarat Titans	Mullanpur
5	01/04/26	Wed	Evening	Lucknow Super Giants	Delhi Capitals	Lucknow
6	02/04/26	Thu	Evening	Kolkata Knight Riders	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Kolkata
7	03/04/26	Fri	Evening	Chennai Super Kings	Punjab Kings	Chennai
8	04/04/26	Sat	Afternoon	Delhi Capitals	Mumbai Indians	Delhi
9	04/04/26	Sat	Evening	Gujarat Titans	Rajasthan Royals	Ahmedabad
10	05/04/26	Sun	Afternoon	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Lucknow Super Giants	Hyderabad
11	05/04/26	Sun	Evening	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	Chennai Super Kings	Bengaluru
12	06/04/26	Mon	Evening	Kolkata Knight Riders	Punjab Kings	Kolkata
13	07/04/26	Tue	Evening	Rajasthan Royals	Mumbai Indians	Guwahati
14	08/04/26	Wed	Evening	Delhi Capitals	Gujarat Titans	Delhi
15	09/04/26	Thu	Evening	Kolkata Knight Riders	Lucknow Super Giants	Kolkata
16	10/04/26	Fri	Evening	Rajasthan Royals	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	Guwahati
17	11/04/26	Sat	Afternoon	Punjab Kings	Sunrisers Hyderabad	Mullanpur
18	11/04/26	Sat	Evening	Chennai Super Kings	Delhi Capitals	Chennai
19	12/04/26	Sun	Afternoon	Lucknow Super Giants	Gujarat Titans	Lucknow
20	12/04/26	Sun	Evening	Mumbai Indians	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	Mumbai

IPL 2026 specially arranged Venues

The BCCI has made notable adjustments to the venue allocations this season:

Rajasthan Royals (RR): Their first three home games will be played in Guwahati, before returning to Jaipur later in the tournament for the remaining four home fixtures.
Punjab Kings (PBKS): They will split their home fixtures, hosting four matches in Mullanpur and three in Dharamsala, giving fans in both regions a chance to witness live action.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): While five of their home games are scheduled at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, two matches will be staged in Raipur, subject to clearance from Karnataka’s Expert Committee.

Marquee Clashes in the first phase of IPL 2026

Several high-profile encounters stand out in the first phase:

RCB vs CSK (April 5, Bengaluru): The rivalry between Virat Kohli’s RCB and MS Dhoni’s CSK remains one of the most anticipated fixtures in IPL history.
MI vs RCB (April 12, Mumbai): A clash of heavyweights, featuring Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians against the defending champions.
RR vs CSK (March 30, Guwahati): Rajasthan’s temporary home venue adds intrigue to this contest against the Chennai Super Kings.

These matches are expected to draw massive crowds and global viewership to make the tournament a worldwide phenomenon in 2026 as well.

The announcement of the IPL 2026 schedule for the opening phase has already ignited excitement among fans. With 20 matches packed into just over two weeks, the league promises high-intensity cricket, marquee rivalries, and new venues. While the second phase remains subject to election schedules, the first leg ensures that IPL 2026 begins with a bang. Can’t wait for the season to roll out.

IPL 2026 Schedule: First Phase Fixtures Announced, RCB to Host SRH in the Opening Clash

IPL 2026 Schedule for the first phase

IPL 2026 specially arranged Venues

Marquee Clashes in the first phase of IPL 2026

Akshay Singh