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The official schedule for the playoffs for IPL 2026 season has finally been released by the BCCI, clearing the air around one of the most eagerly awaited announcements this season.
The playoffs will span five days starting on May 26 and end on May 31 in three venues and three cities, Dharamshala, New Chandigarh, and Ahmedabad, where there will be four games played determining the champions of the tournament, who will be crowned champions at the world's biggest cricket ground on the very last day, i.e., May 31.
With the playoffs fast approaching, as the league phase reaches its climax with Punjab Kings topping the points chart, followed by RCB, SRH, and RR with twelve points each, the scenario looks more competitive than ever before.
BCCI announces IPL 2026 playoffs dates and venues in official schedule release
IPL Qualifier 1 - Tuesday, May 26 | HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala
The IPL playoff journey begins in Dharamshala at the HPCA Stadium, one of the most visually stunning venues in world cricket with the Dhauladhar mountain range forming the backdrop behind the sightscreen.
Qualifier 1 is the most coveted fixture of the four, the winner goes directly to the final on May 31 with three days to prepare, while the loser gets a second chance in Qualifier 2. Historically, teams that win Qualifier 1 carry a significant advantage into the final, having had the opportunity to rest key players and arrive fresh at the biggest game of the season.
IPL 2026 Eliminator - Wednesday, May 27 | New International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh
The third and fourth placed teams meet in the Eliminator on Wednesday evening at the New International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, the Punjab Kings' home ground, which has already produced some of the season's most high-scoring matches.
This is the knockout fixture with no margin for error, lose here and the season is over. The winner advances to Qualifier 2 for another shot at the final, the loser goes home. Given the tight nature of the league standings and the quality of teams likely to be involved, the Eliminator has every chance of being the most dramatic match of the entire postseason.
Also READ: Why did BCCI shift IPL 2026 final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad?
IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 - Friday, May 29 | New International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh
Mullanpur hosts back-to-back playoff fixtures as the New International Cricket Stadium stages Qualifier 2 two days after the Eliminator. This match brings together the loser of Qualifier 1, a team that has already tasted defeat but retains enormous quality, and the winner of the Eliminator, a team riding the momentum of having survived the knockout round.
The winner of Qualifier 2 claims the second spot in the final. It is historically one of the most pressure-laden matches in the IPL calendar, with both teams knowing they are one performance away from either the biggest game of the season or the end of their campaign.
IPL 2026 Final - Sunday, May 31 | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
The IPL 2026 season concludes on Sunday May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the largest cricket ground in the world, hosting the final for the fourth time in five editions.
The stadium has witnessed the Gujarat Titans lift the trophy in 2022, CSK win a rain-affected thriller in 2023, and RCB claim their maiden title in 2025. It is now the established home of the IPL's biggest night, and the May 31 final has the potential to be the most watched cricket match of the year.
Whoever makes it through the playoff gauntlet across Dharamshala and Mullanpur will face their opponents here under the Ahmedabad floodlights with everything on the line.
