The IPL 2026’s start date has reportedly been changed. Earlier, the IPL management had informed the franchises on December 15, 2025, that the 19th edition of the tournament would begin on March 26.
However, now ESPNCricinfo has reported that the IPL has internally decided to change the start date to March 28, and has the final on May 31.
The IPL Governing Council is expected to meet next week to finalize the plan for releasing the schedule, which has been delayed due to unannounced assembly election dates in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
While the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) play their home games in Kolkata (West Bengal) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Guwahati (Assam) is the second venue for the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Since the IPL started in 2008, the schedule has been released in two parts whenever the nation has held general elections (in 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024) or a state has held assembly elections.
It is anticipated that the IPL GC would either decide to stick to the same strategy this time around or wait for the Election Commission of India to declare the dates of the three states' elections.
The IPL Governing Council is also expected to decide where the tournament's opening match will be played, which will include reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Following the stampede at RCB's victory celebrations at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium in June, which killed 11 fans, the team has been in talks with the Karnataka State Cricket Association about whether the team's seven home matches will be played at the venue or elsewhere.
RCB had identified several alternative destinations, including Navi Mumbai, Raipur, and Pune.
(ESPNCricinfo inputs)
