NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League Board of Governors has approved the first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule, with an official announcement of the matches expected on March 6 or 7, according to a Cricbuzz report.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The decision was taken during an online GC meeting on Monday, where it was decided that the Season 19 schedule would be released in two phases. The first set of accessories, covering approximately the initial 13 to 14 days, is likely to be revealed later this week.
India fans have been waiting for more than four hours to see their heroes outside the Wankhede
According to the same report, the opening of the tournament will be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday confirmed that they will play five home matches at the venue. By tradition, the defending champions host the opening game, and that convention looks set to continue. Karnataka State Cricket Association Secretary Santosh Menon also confirmed that the Chinnaswamy Stadium will host both the play-off match and the final.While RCB’s opening opponents are yet to be finalised, an earlier report by Cricbuzz suggested that the start of the season could be pushed back slightly, with March 28 or 29 being the likely date. The finale, as previously announced, is scheduled for May 31.In a recent communication to the franchises, BCCI Acting CEO and IPL Chief Operating Officer Hemang Amin said that the guidelines for the practice will be shared next week. The franchises have also been informed that no objection certificates (NOCs) for overseas players will be issued en masse in the coming days.The delay in releasing the entire schedule is related to the expected announcement of assembly election dates in West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu. With limited time before the start of the season, the BCCI opted for a staggered release, a strategy previously adopted during election years.
