Everything We Know

With the 2026 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup slowly coming to an end, cricket fans are beginning to wonder when the IPL schedule for the upcoming 2026 season will be released.

However, cricket fans recently got a big update on the upcoming IPL 2026 schedule. Here is what you need to know about the 2026 schedule, including when it begins and ends, how much of the schedule will be released at a time, and who the players are.

The Beginning & End of the 2026 IPL Schedule

Unlike other sports leagues (like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB), the IPL has yet to release the schedule for the new season, despite its launch in approximately one month. The new report reveals that the beginning of the IPL season will be two days later than originally planned.

ESPNcricinfo revealed that IPL teams were originally informed that games would commence on March 26th, 2026. This new report reveals that it will begin on March 28th instead.

“The IPL had informed the franchises on December 15, 2025, a day before the last auction, that the 2026 edition would start on March 26,” the outlet wrote. “But ESPNcricinfo has learned that the IPL has internally decided to change the start date to March 28, and have the final on May 31.”

The outlet goes on to say that the delay is due to the assembly elections. Additionally, they wrote about how soon we will hear the first half of the schedule.

“It is understood that the IPL Governing Council will meet next week to finalise the plan for releasing the schedule,” the outlet continued. “Which has been delayed because the dates for assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu have not been announced yet.”

The IPL Schedule Will Not Be Released All at Once

One report reveals that the last time an assembly election disrupted the IPL season, the schedule was released in multiple phases.

“This will only be the fifth instance of the IPL dates clashing with either India’s general elections or a state’s assembly elections,” wrote NDTV Sports on February 27, 2026. “In all of the previous occasions, the Governing Council had released the schedule in two parts. A call on repeating the same will be taken during the meeting next week.”

On March 22nd, the first match of the year occurred. Meanwhile, the final match took place on June 3rd.

IPL Players Currently Playing in the T20 World Cup

A delay in the season’s launch is good for the players. Especially considering the grind of an intense World Cup Tournament.

Here is a list of most IPL players contributing to their home countries’ World Cup chances.

IPL Players at the 2026 T20 World Cup

Sanju Samson

Jamie Overton

Shivam Dube

Matt Henry

Akeal Hosein

David Miller

Pathum Nissanka

Axar Patel

Washington Sundar

Jason Holder

Kagiso Rabada

Prasidh Krishna

Rinku Singh

Tim Seifert

Rovman Powell

Varun Chakaravarthy

Aiden Markram

Quinton de Koch

Sherfane Rutherford

Mitchell Santner

Corbin Bosch

Will Jacks

Jasprit Bumrah

Marco Jansen

Arshdeep Singh

Lockie Ferguson

Shimron Hetmyer

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