RCB’s Virat Kohli lifts the IPL trophy (Getty Images) The next edition of the Indian Premier League will start on March 28, 2026, the official broadcast of Star Sports will confirm the start date on Sunday. The announcement was made shortly before the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 between the Indian national cricket team and the New Zealand national cricket team at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.While the start date of the tournament has now been announced, the detailed schedule for the IPL 2026 season is still awaited from the league organizers.
IPL 2026: RCB confirm their home venue for the upcoming edition
Also See: IND vs NZ Live Score T20 World Cup Final 2026The defending champions heading into the new campaign are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who clinched the 2025 title after defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in the final played in Ahmedabad.Earlier this month, Santosh Menon, secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host five RCB home matches during the upcoming season. However, not all of RCB’s home matches will be played in Bengaluru. The franchise’s remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.In an official statement issued earlier this week, the franchise expressed its appreciation to the authorities who helped facilitate the return of IPL matches to Bengaluru.“RCB extends its sincere thanks to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their steadfast guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the holding of the matches in Bengaluru. The joint efforts to strengthen infrastructure and security measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions play most of their matches at home,” he said.Rajesh Menon, CEO of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, highlighted the importance of the Chinnaswamy Stadium to the franchise and its supporters.“The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground; it is where our identity as a team truly comes to life. The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them in every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally and deserve the opportunity to watch their team at home.”“After detailed discussions and completion of necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, KSCA and Karnataka Police for their support to make this possible,” added Menon.Cricket activity at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year following the tragic stampede during RCB’s IPL 2025 title celebrations in which 11 people lost their lives and several others were injured. The upcoming season will mark the return of IPL matches to the iconic Bengaluru.
