IPL 2026: Teams, Tickets, Auction, Schedule and Live Streaming Guide

IPL 2026 Overview

The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League got underway on March 28, 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru took on Sunrisers Hyderabad in a blockbuster opening fixture. The TATA IPL 2026 runs through to May 31, when the grand final is also scheduled to be held in Bengaluru.

For the first time in IPL history, the tournament adopted a full double round-robin format, meaning every team plays every other team twice during the league stage. That change pushes the total number of league matches to 70, with four additional playoff games, bringing the grand total to 74 matches across two months.

For context, RCB's title victory in 2025 ended an 18-year wait for the franchise and its millions of fans worldwide. Under captain Rajat Patidar, the side won nine of their 13 completed league matches in 2025, then beat Punjab Kings in both Qualifier 1 and the final to lift the trophy. Patidar leads the side again in 2026 with Virat Kohli — one of the all-time leading run scorers in IPL history — still front and centre of the squad.

Matches are scheduled at two daily time slots: 3:30 PM IST for afternoon games and 7:30 PM IST for the prime-time evening fixtures. Google India is one of the official premier partners of IPL 2026, integrating its AI Mode in Search with live broadcast analysis for the first time, giving fans the ability to ask conversational questions about tactics, player form, and historical comparisons as the action unfolds.

All 10 IPL 2026 Teams and Squads

Ten franchises compete in IPL 2026. Here is a complete look at every team, their captain, home ground, and key players heading into the season.

IPL 2026 Captains List

Eight of the ten franchises are going into IPL 2026 with the same captain as last season, reflecting greater stability than in previous years. Two franchises have new leaders at the helm. All ten teams begin the season with Indian captains, with Australian Pat Cummins sidelined through injury.

MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma — who share the record as the two most successful captains in IPL history with five titles apiece — are no longer leading their teams. At 44, Dhoni is widely expected to be playing his final IPL season as a player for Chennai Super Kings, drawing enormous attention to every Chennai home match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

IPL 2026 Auction Results and Biggest Buys

Each franchise entered IPL 2026 with a total purse of Rs 120 crore. Teams could retain up to five capped players and one uncapped player, with a maximum of six total retentions. The salary slab for retentions was structured so that the first retained player earned Rs 18 crore, the second Rs 14 crore, and so on, with uncapped retained players receiving Rs 4 crore each.

KKR made the boldest move in the retention window by releasing high-profile names including Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer, walking into the auction with the largest remaining purse of Rs 64.30 crore. Mumbai Indians, at the other end, entered with just Rs 2.75 crore remaining after retaining Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, and Trent Boult.

Top Buys at the IPL 2026 Mini Auction

Venkatesh Iyer, released by KKR, was picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 7 crore. Auqib Nabi Dar drew notable attention for an Rs 8.4 crore deal, while the auction underlined BCCI's thinking in setting a higher Rs 120 crore purse to allow franchises to compete more freely for marquee talent.

How to Buy IPL 2026 Tickets Online

Buying IPL tickets online is the easiest and safest approach. Each franchise has partnered with a specific ticketing platform, and it helps to know which platform covers your team's home games before you start.

Official Ticketing Platforms by Team

Step-by-Step Guide to Booking IPL 2026 Tickets

Open the relevant app or website for the team whose match you want to attend. Search for IPL 2026 and select the specific fixture by date and venue. Interactive stadium seating maps let you see the view from each section before you commit. Once you choose your seats, you have a window of roughly five to seven minutes to complete the payment. Accepted payment methods include UPI, credit or debit cards, and net banking. Your digital ticket arrives as a QR code on your phone and can also be printed.

Completing your KYC profile on BookMyShow ahead of time unlocks Express Entry status at participating venues. Google Pay users and RuPay cardholders should look for exclusive 24 to 48-hour pre-sale windows that frequently appear before general tickets go on sale. Fan club memberships such as MI Paltan or RCB Bold Army often provide a two-day headstart over the general public window.

IPL 2026 Ticket Prices by Stadium and Tier

Pricing varies significantly between venues and seat categories. Below is a practical guide to what fans can expect to pay across different IPL 2026 venues.

Venue-Specific Price Ranges

Playoff and final tickets are priced significantly higher than regular league matches given the demand. The RCB versus SRH opening match and any MI vs CSK fixture typically sell out within minutes of tickets going live. Setting up reminders on the booking apps and having your payment method ready before the window opens is strongly recommended for high-demand fixtures.

IPL 2026 Schedule: Key Dates and Fixtures

The IPL 2026 league stage runs from March 28 to May 24, with playoff fixtures confirmed for May 26 (Qualifier 1), May 27 (Eliminator), and May 29 (Qualifier 2). The final is scheduled for May 31. Matches are held at 3:30 PM IST and 7:30 PM IST. The league is using 13 venues across India this season.

The 13 IPL 2026 venues are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mullanpur (Chandigarh), Mumbai, and Nava Raipur. Dharmashala and Guwahati add an exciting dimension for fans in the hill regions and northeast India who rarely get IPL cricket at home.

The top four teams at the end of 14 league matches each qualify for the playoffs. The first and second placed teams meet in Qualifier 1. The winner goes directly to the final. The third and fourth placed teams play the Eliminator, with the winner then facing the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2. The winner of Qualifier 2 reaches the final. When two teams finish level on points, Net Run Rate decides who progresses, making every over and every run relevant throughout the entire league stage.

IPL 2026 Live Streaming and TV Broadcast Details

All 74 matches of IPL 2026 are available via two main options in India: television on Star Sports and digital streaming on JioHotstar. The broadcast covers commentary in 12 languages on television including English, Hindi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Malayalam.

An important change for 2026: the free mobile streaming that was available during the 2023 and 2024 seasons no longer exists. Every digital stream now requires a JioHotstar subscription or a telecom bundle that includes it. The practical option for most fans is the Jio prepaid recharge of Rs 349, which bundles three months of JioHotstar access covering the entire season from March 28 to May 31 in a single transaction.

Airtel and Vi users have their own plan bundles that include JioHotstar access. Smart TV viewers need a minimum internet speed of 5 Mbps for HD and 15 Mbps for 4K streaming. The app is available on Android, iOS, Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS, Android TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, and Chromecast.

Outside India, Willow TV holds exclusive rights for North America and is available as an Amazon Prime Video add-on at $9.99 per month, as well as through DISH, Sling TV, DirecTV, Xfinity, Spectrum, and Fubo.

IPL 2026 Frequently Asked Questions