Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium to host IPL opener on March 28

Dubai: The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host the opening match of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the first phase of the tournament schedule on Wednesday.

The season opener on March 28 will see defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The match marks an emotional return of cricket to the Bengaluru venue, where games had been suspended since June 2025 following a tragic stampede incident.

Because several states will hold Assembly elections during the same period, the complete IPL schedule will be released after the election dates are finalised.

In the first phase, 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The schedule will include four double-headers.

After the opening match on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

The first double-header of the season is set for April 4. In the afternoon match, Delhi Capitals will face Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Later in the evening, Gujarat Titans will meet Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rajasthan Royals will begin their home campaign in Guwahati, hosting Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings will play their early home fixtures at the PCA Stadium.

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Several franchises have already started training camps ahead of the high-profile T20 tournament. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru held a short preparation camp at the DY Patil Stadium on February 10 after securing their maiden IPL title last season by defeating Punjab Kings in the final.

Former champions Gujarat Titans trained twice at the Miraj International Cricket Stadium. Punjab Kings held an early training camp in Abu Dhabi and are currently preparing in Dharamsala.

Sunrisers Hyderabad began their camp on March 1 with domestic players, while five-time champions Mumbai Indians have also started preparations for the upcoming season.

The inaugural IPL winners Rajasthan Royals are expected to assemble for a training camp in Jaipur from March 15. Meanwhile, three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their pre-season camp on March 18.

Delhi Capitals recently conducted a training camp in Hyderabad and are likely to hold another in New Delhi, while Lucknow Super Giants earlier organised a preparatory session in Lucknow.