RCB vs SRH to kick off IPL 2026 on March 28 as BCCI releases phase one schedule
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "RCB vs SRH to kick off IPL 2026 on March 28 as BCCI releases phase one schedule")
RCB vs SRH to kick off IPL 2026 on March 28 as BCCI releases phase one schedule Photograph: (Others)
The wait is over! BCCI has announced the first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Check the full list of the first 20 matches and venues here.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2026's opener on March 28, as the BCCI announced the partial schedule on Wednesday (Mar 11). The M Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru will host the season’s first game after the Karnataka government cleared the venue to stage IPL matches amid uncertainty following the tragic loss of 11 lives in a stampede last June during RCB’s victory celebrations.
Check IPL 2026 first phase schedule -
The matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, however, remain subject to clearance from an expert committee formed by the Karnataka state government.
"The committee will conduct a meeting and inspection of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 13, 2026, during which a full-scale mock demonstration of match-day arrangements will be carried out to assess the stadium's preparedness for hosting IPL matches," an IPL release states.
Meanwhile, two former winners, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will face off in the second game this edition on Sunday (Mar 29) at the Wankhede Stadium, with the Rajasthan Royals hosting Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at their second home venue in Guwahati on Monday (Mar 31). Unlike previously, when double-headers used to highlight the opening weekend, the IPL included two (over the Apr 4-5 and 11-12 weekends) in the first phase of IPL 2026 schedule, comprising 20 matches.
Considering Assembly Elections in several states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam, where their respective IPL teams have their home venues, the IPL governing council awaits the poll dates before releasing the full IPL 2026 schedule.
In the first phase, all ten teams will play four games each; however, the groups haven’t been confirmed yet.
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Teams, venues and dates
It is the second time RCB and SRH will square off in the opening weekend of an IPL, having last faced off nine years ago in the 2017 edition, when SRH was the defending champion, and RCB were the runners-up. While it’s only the second time that SRH will play the season opener, for the RCB, it’s their seventh appearance in the first game of an IPL edition.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals will wrap up the Guwahati leg of their home season inside the first phase itself, which includes three games at the venue. The former IPL champions will play their remaining four home matches at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Besides RR, the RCB and Punjab Kings (PBKS) will also play their home games at their second home venues in the first phase. While the RCB will play two matches in Raipur, the PBKS will play three in Dharamsala.
Check out IPL 2026 schedule (first phase) -
- 28/3/2026 - RCB vs SRH
- 29/3/2026 - MI vs KKR
- 30/3/2026 - RR vs CSK
- 31/3/2026 - PBKS vs GT
- 1/4/2026 - LSG vs DC
- 2/4/2026 - KKR vs SRH
- 3/4/2026 - CSK vs PBKS
- 4/4/2026 - DC vs MI
- 4/4/2026 - GT vs RR
- 5/4/2026 - SRH vs LSG
- 5/4/2026 - RCB vs CSK
- 6/4/2026 - KKR vs PBKS
- 7/4/2026 - RR vs MI
- 8/4/2026 - DC vs GT
- 9/4/2026 - KKR vs LSG
- 10/4/2026 - RR vs RCB
- 11/4/2026 - PBKS vs SRH
- 11/4/2026 - CSK vs DC
- 12/4/2026 - LSG vs GT
- 12/4/2026 - MI vs RCB
