Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the full IPL 2026 schedule and it seems like we won’t have to wait much longer. On March 11, the BCCI already announced the phase 1 schedule that covers 20 matches between March 28 and April 12. Now, according to reports, we’ll get the complete schedule in the next couple of days.

There were a lot of talks about more matches this year. But that is not happening as the BCCI has decided to stick with 74 matches for the upcoming 2026 edition of the tournament. The broadcasters are pushing for a longer season, but the board isn’t budging under any pressure. That means there will be no expansion of the tournament to 80 or 84 games. As things stand, those rumours can take a back seat for at least this season, and the rest of the fixtures will be out soon.

If the reports are true, IPL 2026 will run for 65 days. Adding extra matches right now isn’t on the cards. This is due to the pressure of the international cricket calendar, which is packed to the fullest. Pushing the IPL extensively would create match-scheduling headaches and clash with other series. To make things awkward, the ongoing war and a global fuel crisis have made air travel expensive and complicated. The BCCI made it clear that with airspace limits and high travel costs, this tight tournament framework is soberly the best way ahead.

Since the state election dates are now keyed, the board is gearing up to lay down the schedule for the remaining 54 matches any day now. The opening match of the season will see Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at their home ground in Chinnaswamy Stadium.

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