With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup now concluded, attention will soon shift to the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to release the schedule for the first 20 days of the tournament by March 12, secretary Devajit Saikia said on Tuesday.
The 19th edition of the IPL will run from March 28 to May 31, slightly revised from the earlier proposed window of March 26 to May 30.
“We plan to announce the IPL 2026 schedule by March 12. For now, we are going to release the schedule for the first 20 days,” Saikia told IANS.
The remainder of the tournament schedule will be announced later, as the BCCI aims to avoid a clash with upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, franchises have already begun their pre-season preparations ahead of the new campaign.
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings started their training on March 1 at their High-Performance Centre in Navalur, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and veteran MS Dhoni among those in attendance.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru held a preparation camp at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on February 10, while 2022 champions Gujarat Titans conducted practice sessions at the Miraj International Cricket Stadium in Nathdwara.
Punjab Kings trained in Abu Dhabi earlier in February and are currently holding a practice camp in Dharamsala, while 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad began their camp on March 1 with their domestic players.
Five-time winners Mumbai Indians have also started training for the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals are expected to assemble for a practice camp in Jaipur from March 15, while three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their pre-season camp on March 18.
Delhi Capitals recently conducted a camp in Hyderabad and are expected to hold another in New Delhi, while Lucknow Super Giants earlier held a preparatory session in Lucknow.