The assembly elections to be held in several states this year could impact the organization of the 19th season of Indian Premier League (IPL 2026).
Despite announcement of tentative dates for IPL 2026, BCCI has not yet released the schedule of matches.
BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla has reportedly confirmed this. He has said that IPL 2026 schedule will be released only after Election Commission of India announces dates of state assembly elections. This also raises the possibility that the IPL may be postponed from its scheduled time.
All you need to know about the latest update in 5 points-
1. IPL matches are scheduled to begin on March 26
IPL schedule hasn't been finalized yet, but is expected to begin on March 26th and run until May 31st. 84 matches are scheduled during this period, with the opening match scheduled between defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore and runner-up Punjab Kings.
2. The schedule is not finalized due to state elections
Speaking to IANS, Rajiv Shukla said that the schedule of matches is being hampered due to assembly elections in several states. He said, "BCCI has the upcoming elections in mind and we want to ensure that there is no clash between voting and match dates in major centers. We are working on the IPL schedule, but we are still waiting for the government to announce the election dates. Once these dates are confirmed, we will be able to finalize a schedule that does not disrupt the election process or clash with matches in election states. We want to ensure that both tasks happen smoothly."
3. Assembly elections in which states have become an obstacle?
Assembly elections are scheduled in several states this year, but BCCI is eagerly awaiting announcement of election dates in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. The lack of information on election dates in these states is impacting several key match centers.
Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, Assam, is scheduled to host Rajasthan Royals matches, while MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is the home ground of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings. Similarly, the Eden Gardens in Kolkata is home to the Kolkata Knight Riders.
4. Board asking RCB and RR for home venue again
Rajiv Shukla said, "Regarding the home venues of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), we are inquiring with both franchises about this. We have asked both franchises to make a final decision within a week. Once both teams have finalized their venues, we will prepare the schedule accordingly. Currently, we are awaiting the teams' decisions and the announcement of the election dates."
5. Restrictions on Chinnaswamy Stadium have been relaxed
IPL's opening match has traditionally been held at the champion team's home venue, but this time, that tradition appears to be broken. A stampede during RCB's trophy-winning celebrations led to a tragic accident at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, resulting in the deaths of several people. Following this, the state government has banned sports events at the stadium.