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The first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule is out and the season starts on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

It is not the opener many expected. Multiple reports had earlier suggested RCB vs CSK as the likely curtain-raiser and there was also talk of the defending champions facing last year's runners-up Punjab Kings on the first night. Neither of those has happened.

Instead RCB will start against SRH and the other finalists from 2025 Punjab Kings will begin their IPL 2026 campaigns on separate day against different opponent. The first phase has 20 matches across 16 days running from March 28 to April 12 and there are some exciting fixtures spread throughout.

RCB kick off their title defence and the opening week has plenty more to offer

The first five days of IPL 2026 have some serious fixtures. RCB vs SRH on Saturday, March 28 is followed the next day by Mumbai Indians hosting Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium.

March 30 takes the tournament to Guwahati where Rajasthan Royals host Chennai Super Kings. CSK are away from home early in the season against a Rajasthan side that tends to start well and that is not an easy opening assignment for either team.

Punjab Kings open at home against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur on March 31 and Lucknow Super Giants host Delhi Capitals on April 1. KKR will be back quickly hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata on April 2 and CSK play their home opener against Punjab Kings in Chennai on April 3. By the end of the first week most teams will have played at least twice.

The first double header is on April 4 with Delhi Capitals hosting Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad on the same evening. April 5 has another double header and the best fixture of the first phase. SRH will host Lucknow in Hyderabad and then RCB play CSK in Bengaluru in the evening. Both teams will have played three games by that point and it should be a good one.

Also READ: IPL 2026: RCB won their first title in 2025 and now they are trying to do what only CSK and MI have ever done

RCB's toughest week and the double headers that wrap up the first phase

KKR will host Punjab Kings in Kolkata on Monday, April 6 and Rajasthan Royals play Mumbai Indians in Guwahati on April 7. Delhi Capitals host Gujarat Titans on April 8 and KKR play Lucknow Super Giants in Kolkata on April 9. KKR have three home games in the first phase, which is a decent start to the season in terms of conditions and crowd support.

April 10 has Rajasthan Royals hosting RCB in Guwahati. The defending champions away from home in a neutral venue is an interesting fixture at that stage of the season. The first phase ends with double headers on both April 11 and April 12. Saturday, April 11 has Punjab Kings vs SRH in Mullanpur and CSK vs Delhi Capitals in Chennai. April 12 closes out the first 20 games with Lucknow hosting Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians taking on RCB at the Wankhede to wrap up what looks like a strong opening phase of the season.

IPL 2026 first phase: Full schedule

  • March 28 (Sat) - RCB vs SRH - M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
  • March 29 (Sun) - MI vs KKR - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
  • March 30 (Mon) - RR vs CSK - Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
  • March 31 (Tue) - PBKS vs GT - Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur
  • April 1 (Wed) - LSG vs DC - BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
  • April 2 (Thu) - KKR vs SRH - Eden Gardens, Kolkata
  • April 3 (Fri) - CSK vs PBKS - MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
  • April 4 (Sat) - DC vs MI - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
  • April 4 (Sat) - GT vs RR - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
  • April 5 (Sun) - SRH vs LSG - Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
  • April 5 (Sun) - RCB vs CSK - M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
  • April 6 (Mon) - KKR vs PBKS - Eden Gardens, Kolkata
  • April 7 (Tue) - RR vs MI - Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
  • April 8 (Wed) - DC vs GT - Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
  • April 9 (Thu) - KKR vs LSG - Eden Gardens, Kolkata
  • April 10 (Fri) - RR vs RCB - Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
  • April 11 (Sat) - PBKS vs SRH - Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur
  • April 11 (Sat) - CSK vs DC - MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
  • April 12 (Sun) - LSG vs GT - BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
  • April 12 (Sun) - MI vs RCB - Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai