IPL 2026 Start Date Delayed? BCCI Considering March 28 or 29 for Season Opener

The Indian Premier League 2026 was expected to start on March 26, but it may now begin a few days later. According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet decided the final starting date of the tournament. There is yet to be an announcement of the same, but March 28-29 are under consideration. Also, the confirmation could be made by next week. It remains to be seen, if the start is delayed, the final would be delayed too?

IPL 2026 Likely to Start on March 28 or 29

The IPL franchises seemed to have been informed informally as well. In fact, the BCCI has not made the IPL 2026 schedule public, until now. That is largely because of the state assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and West Bengal. There is also a possibility, that a partial schedule might be announced soon.

This is not the first time the start date has been delayed. In 2019, the schedule was also slightly changed because of the general elections. However, the final dates will become clear once the Election Commission of India announces the election schedule. 

Other than that, the BCCI is learnt to have met all the franchises, as well as other stakeholders, to increase the excitement for the season. The broadcasters and the teams could just step up their efforts to promote IPL, NBA and NFL style. There were discussions around, how to maximise the publicity through traditional and social media. This time around, some of the traditional powerhouses of the tournament will be looking to better their performances. CSK haven’t enjoyed the best time in the last couple of years. MI have also not laid their hands on the title for some time now, while DC still look for their first.

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by Dwijesh February 27, 2026