IPL 2026: Date, Schedule, Venue, Competing Teams & Ticket Prices; How To Watch At JioHotstar?

After the stunning performance in the ICC T20 World Cup, cricket lovers are now looking forward to yet another power-packed cricket season. And this one is a mix of all the best cricket players across the world but will be held in India, just like every year. You've guessed it right! Its IPL time!

The Indian Premier League or IPL is among the most awaited sports in India and every fan is thrilled to watch it.

IPL 2026 Date:

The IPL 2026 season is expected to kickoff on March 28. As per Jio Hotstar's latest update on its page is that IPL 2026 starts on March 28. Jio Hotstar has even released details of the players who will compete in IPL 2026.

IPL 2026 First Match:

The first match will be take on the previous season's winner Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). As per reports, Punjab Kings could be the first team to compete with RCB on March 28. The final fixtures of the IPL 2026 season will be announced in due course. Hence, this speculation can change too.

It needs to be noted that RCB and Punjab Kings had played the final match of IPL 2025 season, where RCB won by 6 runs and eventually became the winners of the season.

IPL 2026 Schedule:

While the season will begin on March 28, the big playoffs will begin from May 26, 2026, after four best contenders are selected through matches and score points. The playoffs include Eliminator and Qualifier 2 round.

As per reports, the final match will be held on May 31, 2026 in Bengaluru. Playoff matches like Eliminator and Qualifier 2 could be held in Ahmedabad and Raipur. This is not the final decision or confirmed.

It is expected that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will announce key important dates of IPL 2026 season anytime soon but in two phases, while keeping in check the Assembly Elections in West Bengal and Assam dates.

Reports stated that the schedule of the first 15 days will be announced first, while the remaining dates will be declared after these states poll.

IPL 2026 Teams:

There are 10 teams that will compete in IPL 2026. These include Chennai Super Kings (led by Ruturaj Gaikwad), Mumbai Indians (Hardik Pandya), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Rajat Patidar), Kolkata Knight Riders (Ajinkya Rahane), Gujarat Titans (Shubman Gill), Rajasthan Royals (Riyan Parag), Lucknow Super Giants (Rishabh Pant), Sunrisers Hyderabad (Pat Cummins), Delhi Capitals (Axar Patel), and Punjab Kings (Shreyas Iyer).

IPL 2026 Most Expensive Players:

For the season 2026, the most expensive player became Cameron Green by Knight Riders. Green was roped in for a whopping Rs 25.20 crore.

In total, during IPL 2026 seasonal auction, 77 players were sold including 29 overseas players with total spent about Rs 215.45 crore.

IPL 2026 Ticket Prices?

While the ticket prizes are yet to be known. However, BookMyShow has released a notification where tickets window will open on March 26 for Wankhede Stadium. But pre-sale registration for tickets is open for Mumbai Indians now.

Currently, the starting price for IPL 2026 tickets are expected to be Rs 450 to Rs 850. While mid-range tickets could be priced at Rs 900 to Rs 3,000. For premium seats, the ticket prices may range from Rs 4,000 to Rs 18,000. Lastly, for VIP tickets, the price could vary from Rs 19,000 and above.

Once again, it needs to be noted that these are tentative ticket prices and could change once the official launch of the IPL booking window.

H0w To Book IPL 2026 Season Tickets?

In the past few IPLs, tickets could be booked through BookMyShow, District Zomato or other portals like Paytm.

Also, IPL 2026 tickets will attract a 40% goods and services tax (GST) rate after the new restructure of GST in September 2025. Earlier, an ESPN Cricinfo report said, the final price of a ticket whose base price is Rs 1000 will now go up from INR 1280 to INR 1400. This increase puts the IPL in India's highest GST bracket, alongside casinos, race clubs, or any place that has casinos or race clubs.

How & Where To Watch IPL 2026 Matches?

You can watch the IPL matches live and highlights on JioHotstar. All you have to is become a subscribed member for seamless streaming.

Other sports channels would likely live stream the matches as well.