IPL 2026 Schedule To Be Announced In Two Phases Amid State Elections - Report

The 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League is tentatively scheduled to take place from March 27 to May 31, and the tournament's schedule is expected to be announced in two phases due to upcoming assembly elections in three states where the matches will be played.

The schedule of the 2-month-long premier domestic cricket league is generally announced well in advance by the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI).

However, elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam this time around, during the IPL, could trigger logistical and security challenges for the BCCI, leading to the potential release of the IPL 2026 schedule in two phases.

As per reports, the initial phase of the IPL 2026, which may comprise 20-25 matches, could be released by the end of February, and the second phase, consisting of the remaining matches, is expected to be released once the Election Commission announces the dates of voting in the three states.

Security Arrangements At Key Venues Raises Eyebrows

The state government is responsible for providing adequate security arrangements for the IPL matches in the cities where they are taking place and during elections, the primary focus of the state police forces remains on maintaining law and order and conducting a fair and free election process.

This makes it difficult to hold matches in prominent venues like Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) in Chennai, where elections are scheduled to take place.

It's not the first time, the IPL is encountering such issues, earlier also the games have been shifted or scheduled altered due to state elections is various cities. The most prominent example is the 2009 IPL, which was completely shifted to South Africa after the then government refused to provide adequate security arrangements due to Lok Sabha elections.

However, since then, the BCCI and the governments have worked in tandem to ensure the smooth conduct of the premier cricket league of the world despite elections.

On previous occasions, wherever such a situation arose, matches were shifted to the Baraspara Stadium in Guwahati but this time, with Assam also undergoing elections, the options are limited for the BCCI.

Also, with the IPL 2026 following the ongoing T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, the prominent stadiums of India, such as the Eden Gardens and the MA Chidambaram, will also take some time to be ready to hold back-to-back IPL matches, adding further complexity to the issue.

However, in the past the BCCI and respective governments have resolved the issue amicably, and this time around, things are expected to go smoothly, and the 2nd phase will also be announced once the election dates are announced.