IPL 2026 start date announced? Check details
Currently, the cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the IPL auction 2026, which will be held on December 16 at Abu Dhabi. The IPL 2026 dates were disclosed at a pre-auction meeting that took place before the IPL Auction at the W Hotel in Abu Dhabi. As per reports, the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League is scheduled to commence on March 26, concluding on May 31. The tournament will begin three weeks after the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled from February 07 to March 08.
So far, the BCCI hasn't released an official schedule. Still, the update was nearly confirmed during the pre-auction meeting of all franchises and IPL authorities, held on the evening of December 15, a day before the IPL Auction 2026. For the mini-auction, 369 players were shortlisted, with 77 slots available, including 31 overseas players.
It will be interesting to see whether Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host the tournament opener. Typically, the opening match is played in the city of the defending champions, but the availability of the Chinnaswamy Stadium remains uncertain. A top BCCI official responded to a question about whether the league could start at Chinnaswamy, stating,
"We hope so." He also added, "The State's Deputy Chief Minister (DK Shivakumar) himself has said so."
Recently, the Dy CM was noted in the media as saying,
"We have decided about the IPL matches. We are positive. We have asked our Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, to meet with KSCA authorities. Parameshwara will discuss it with the Cricket Association. The Home Minister will deal with it."
Last year, following the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden title victory, a victory parade was held at Chinnaswamy Stadium. Unfortunately, a stampede occurred outside the stadium, resulting in 11 deaths and multiple injuries. Since then, the state government has not permitted any matches at the stadium, and it was deemed unsuitable for hosting major events after a follow-up investigation.
Once again, the world's top T20 league will compete against Pakistan's premier T20 league, the “Pakistan Super League,” scheduled from March 26 to May 3. Both leagues clashed last year as well.
IPL 2026 Mini Auction
Well, at the moment, every cricket fan is eyeing the IPL 2026 mini auction. Preparations are underway as the auction approaches. With the biggest purse, Kolkata Knight Riders (64.30 crore INR) and Chennai Super Kings (43.30 crore INR) aim to leverage their funds to include some big-name players. Australia's star all-rounder, Cameron Green, is expected to be the most expensive player in this auction. Apart from Green, several other players, such as Ravi Bishnoi, Venkatesh Iyer, Josh Inglis, Steve Smith, Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, and many more, might receive higher bids.
