IPL 2026 Match: Finally, the schedule for IPL 2026 is set! The 19th season of IPL will take place in 'these' months

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The mega auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is starting in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Before the auction, the BCCI held a meeting with all the franchises and the league's CEO Hemang Amin announced the dates of the tournament. IPL 2026 will start on March 26, while the final will be played on May 31. As per tradition, the first match is likely to be held at the home ground of the defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, but the availability of the stadium is still uncertain.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has received conditional approval from the state government to host IPL matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. This approval is subject to meeting certain security and safety requirements. A senior BCCI official told Cricbuzz, "We hope to start the league at Chinnaswamy. The state's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar himself has assured this." The Deputy Chief Minister recently said, "We have made a positive decision regarding the IPL matches. Home Minister Parameshwara has been asked to hold a meeting with KSCA officials."

On June 4, during RCB's victory celebration, a stampede around Chinnaswamy Stadium resulted in the death of 11 fans and many were injured. After this incident, the state government had denied permission for cricket matches at the stadium. As a result, BCCI had to move the Women's World Cup matches outside the city. Now, cricket enthusiasts are focused on whether Chinnaswamy will be available for IPL again with an emphasis on security management. The tournament schedule will be announced soon after the auction purchases.