IPL 2026 season to begin on March 28

The official announcement came ahead of the India vs New Zealand ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

It is to be noted that the fixtures of the IPL 2026 edition are yet to be announced by the IPL. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are the defending champions. The Bengaluru-based franchise defeated Punjab Kings in the 2025 edition summit clash by six runs in Ahmedabad.

Earlier this month, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 home games. He also confirmed that the venue will host the IPL 2026 final, along with one of the play-off matches in the tournament.

Notably, RCB's remaining two home matches of their IPL 2026 campaign will be held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

RCB, in a statement on Tuesday, said, "RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru. The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground," a statement stated.

Rajesh Menon, CEO, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, said, "The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground; it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive. The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home."

"After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible," Menon said.

Cricket at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year after 11 people died and several were injured in a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2025 title celebration. (ANI)