The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed the window for the Indian Premier League 2026, yet the full match schedule is still awaited. With the tournament set to begin on March 26, 2026, fans and franchises alike are keen to know why the fixtures have not been released despite the countdown already underway.
While such delays are uncommon for the IPL, the 2026 season presents unique challenges that have slowed down the scheduling process.
IPL 2026 Dates Already Finalised
The overall timeline of the tournament has been locked, ensuring that teams can plan their preparations and logistics accordingly.
Tournament Phase Dates
IPL 2026 Start March 26, 2026
League Matches End May 24, 2026
Playoffs May 25–30, 2026
IPL 2026 Final May 31, 2026
Despite these dates being final, individual match fixtures remain subject to external clearances.
State Elections Impacting Match Planning
A major hurdle in finalising the IPL 2026 fixtures is the assembly elections scheduled in several Indian states during the tournament window. Election periods require heavy deployment of police and administrative staff, which directly affects stadium security and crowd control.
State IPL Team(s) Affected Issue
West Bengal Kolkata Knight Riders Security availability
Tamil Nadu Chennai Super Kings Election duty overlap
Assam Neutral matches Resource allocation
Andhra Pradesh Nearby venues Crowd movement
Until official election schedules are released, the BCCI cannot commit to confirmed match dates in these regions.
Stadium Availability and Pitch Recovery
Another factor delaying the schedule is venue readiness. Several IPL stadiums are being used for international matches earlier in the year, which means pitches and outfields require recovery time before hosting IPL games.
Stadium City Current Status
Eden Gardens Kolkata Clearance pending
MA Chidambaram Stadium Chennai Pitch assessment
Wankhede Stadium Mumbai Scheduling review
Narendra Modi Stadium Ahmedabad Multi-event hosting
The BCCI is working closely with state associations to ensure venues meet IPL standards before final confirmation.
