IPL 2026 dates likely revealed ahead of mini auction; check when the league begins

The Indian Premier League 2026 is expected to run from March 26 to May 31, keeping its usual window in the cricket calendar. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has not announced the full schedule yet. ESPNcricinfo reported that the tournament will start around three weeks after the T20 World Cup and end by late May.

The T20 World Cup will take place from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka. With this timeline, the IPL will clash with the Pakistan Super League for the second year in a row. The PSL is scheduled from March 26 to May 3.

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Teams have already begun preparations for the new season. The IPL auction will be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. A total of 369 players have been shortlisted, with 77 slots available. Out of these, 31 places are reserved for overseas players.

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Kolkata Knight Riders have the most vacancies at 13, while Sunrisers Hyderabad have ten slots to fill. After trades and retentions, KKR also hold the highest remaining purse of INR 64.30 crore. Chennai Super Kings follow with INR 43.40 crore.

The previous season followed a similar schedule. IPL 2025 was planned from March 22 to May 25 but faced disruption due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan. The league was suspended on May 9, resumed on May 15, and concluded on June 3.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the final in Ahmedabad, beating Punjab Kings by six runs to claim their first IPL title. However, celebrations in Bengaluru turned tragic. Stampede-like incidents outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium led to the deaths of 11 people.