IPL 2026 Dates Announced: Season Starts March 26, Final On May 31

In keeping with its customary time slot in the cricket calendar, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 will take place from March 26 to May 31. The 19th edition of the competition is anticipated to start about three weeks after the T20 World Cup, which will take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, and end at the end of May, according to ESPNcricinfo, even though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet released the full schedule.

When Is IPL 2026 Starting?

369 players in all have been shortlisted for the auction, with 77 spots available, 31 of which are set aside for players from other countries. Sunrisers Hyderabad has ten openings, while Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has thirteen. After player retentions and trades, KKR has the most remaining purse at INR 64.30 crore (about USD 7.1 million), followed by Chennai Super Kings with INR 43.40 crore (around USD 4.8 million). IPL 2025 was originally slated to run from March 22 to May 25, however on May 9, the competition was temporarily suspended due to growing tensions between India and Pakistan. On May 15, the competition was held again, and it ended on June 3. After a protracted wait for the trophy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in Ahmedabad to secure the title. However, the festivities in Bengaluru were tainted by tragedy, as eleven people lost their lives in stampede-like scenarios outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The stadium was deemed unsuitable for hosting major events after a follow-up investigation.

Additionally, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is set to run from March 26 to May 3, will coincide with the IPL for the second year in a row. As franchisees get set for the auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, IPL preparations are already well underway.

(With Inputs From ANI)

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