IPL 2026: Complete Guide to Schedule, Format, Points Table, and How to Watch

IPL 2026 is the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The tournament maintains the 10-team structure that was established in 2022 when the two new franchises (Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants) joined.

The 10 IPL Franchises

• Chennai Super Kings (CSK) — based in Chennai, Chepauk Stadium
• Mumbai Indians (MI) — based in Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium
• Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) — based in Bengaluru, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
• Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — based in Kolkata, Eden Gardens
• Delhi Capitals (DC) — based in Delhi, Arun Jaitley Stadium
• Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) — based in Hyderabad, Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium
• Rajasthan Royals (RR) — based in Jaipur, Sawai Mansingh Stadium
• Punjab Kings (PBKS) — based in Mohali, PCA Stadium
• Gujarat Titans (GT) — based in Ahmedabad, Narendra Modi Stadium
• Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) — based in Lucknow, BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium

IPL 2026 spans across 13–15 home venues across India. The tournament typically runs from late March to late May, with matches on most evenings (7:30 PM IST) and Sunday afternoon double-headers (3:30 PM IST).

IPL 2026 follows the same double round-robin group stage structure used since the 10-team format was introduced in 2022:

League Stage (70 matches)

Each of the 10 teams plays 14 league matches — facing each of the 9 other teams at least once, with a home-and-away structure for certain rivalry fixtures. The scheduling ensures:

• Every team plays at least 7 home matches
• Every team plays at least 7 away matches
• No team plays more than 2 consecutive home or away matches

Playoffs (4 matches)

The top 4 teams on the points table qualify for the playoffs:

• Qualifier 1 (Match 71): 1st vs 2nd. Winner goes directly to the Final.
• Eliminator (Match 72): 3rd vs 4th. Loser is eliminated.
• Qualifier 2 (Match 73): Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator. Winner goes to the Final.
• Final (Match 74): Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q2.

This structure gives the top 2 teams a double opportunity — they can lose Qualifier 1 and still make the Final via Qualifier 2. The 3rd and 4th placed teams have a single second chance via the Eliminator-Q2 route.

During the league stage, teams accumulate points based on match results:

• Win: 2 points
• Loss: 0 points
• No result / Abandoned: 1 point each
• Tie (Super Over): The Super Over result determines the 2 points. There are no draws in T20.

When two or more teams are level on points, Net Run Rate (NRR) is the tiebreaker. NRR is calculated as:

NRR = (Total Runs Scored / Total Overs Faced) − (Total Runs Conceded / Total Overs Bowled)

Example: A team that scored 1,800 runs in 140 overs and conceded 1,700 runs in 140 overs would have NRR = (1800/140) − (1700/140) = 12.857 − 12.143 = +0.714

Practical NRR strategies:

• Winning by large margins improves your NRR
• Losing by small margins hurts NRR less than losing by large margins
• Bowling out opponents early benefits NRR only if you chase before using all your overs
• Teams sometimes calculate the exact run rate required to overtake a rival on NRR before batting

If NRR is also tied (extremely rare), head-to-head result between the tied teams is considered, followed by drawing of lots.

The IPL has seen six different champions across 17 editions (2008–2025), though a handful of franchises dominate the trophy count:

Trophy tally: Mumbai Indians (5), Chennai Super Kings (5), Kolkata Knight Riders (3), Rajasthan Royals (1), Sunrisers Hyderabad (1), Deccan Chargers (1), Gujarat Titans (1), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (1).

Three rules and processes significantly shape each IPL season:

IPL Player Auction

Each franchise has a salary cap (approximately Rs. 120 crore for IPL 2026) and must field teams with at least 18 players (max 25), including a minimum of 8 overseas players (max 4 in the playing XI per game). Before each season, teams announce their retention list and the remaining players go into the auction pool.

Key auction concepts:

• RTM (Right to Match): Allows franchises to match any bid for their released players up to a set number of RTM cards
• Marquee players: High-profile players are auctioned first in the marquee set, often triggering bidding wars
• Uncapped players: Players without international caps often represent high value buys at lower prices

Impact Player Rule

Introduced in IPL 2023, the Impact Player rule allows each team to substitute one player per innings with an "impact player" from a 4-member bench named at the toss. The substituted player can bat, bowl, or field (certain batting restrictions apply based on when the substitution happens). This rule has significantly increased scoring rates and has been controversial among cricket traditionalists as it can reduce the value of all-rounders.

Decision Review System (DRS)

Each team gets 2 DRS reviews per innings in IPL. Reviews can be taken for:

• LBW (Leg Before Wicket) decisions — uses ball-tracking technology
• Caught behind appeals — uses Ultra-Edge (Snickometer)
• Catches — uses HD camera review

A review is retained if the original on-field decision is overturned. If the decision stands, the team loses the review. The umpire's call (where the ball is clipping the stumps) keeps the original decision and does not cost a review.

IPL 2026 broadcasting rights are held by Viacom18 (digital) and Star India (TV), continuing the split rights structure established for the 2023–2027 IPL broadcast cycle.

Free Streaming: JioCinema

JioCinema (jiocinema.com / JioCinema app) offers free live streaming of all IPL 2026 matches in India. Key features:

• Free to watch with a registered account (mobile number sign-up)
• Multiple language commentary streams (Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam)
• Multi-camera views, player stats, and interactive features
• Available on mobile, tablet, smart TV, and web browser
• 4K streaming available for premium subscribers

Television: Star Sports Network

Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2, and regional Star Sports channels broadcast all IPL matches. Hindi commentary on Star Sports 1 Hindi. Regional language feeds on Star Sports regional channels. Available on all major DTH and cable providers across India.

Ticket Booking

IPL match tickets are sold online through official platforms:

• BookMyShow (bookmyshow.com) — official IPL ticketing partner for most venues
• PayTM Insider — alternate platform for select matches and venues
• Franchise websites occasionally sell tickets directly for home games

Ticket prices range from approximately Rs. 600 (general stands) to Rs. 25,000+ (premium hospitality boxes). High-demand matches (MI vs CSK, RCB home games, playoff matches) sell out within minutes of release. Enable notifications on BookMyShow and be ready exactly when tickets go on sale.