Top News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially rolled out the schedule for the IPL 2026 playoffs, gearing up for the tournament's grand finale. 

With almost 50 matches in the books, the playoffs kick off with Qualifier 1 on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium. This exciting match will showcase the top two teams from the standings, with the winner securing a direct ticket to the final. Following that, the action moves to the New International Cricket Stadium, where the Eliminator will take place on May 27, featuring the teams that finished third and fourth. 

The same venue in New Chandigarh will also host Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face off against the winner of the Eliminator to determine who will join the final. This format gives an edge to the teams that finish higher in the standings while keeping the competition fierce for everyone else. 

The grand finale of IPL 2026 is set for May 31 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, known as the largest cricket stadium in the world. Fans can expect a thrilling showdown to crown the new champions. 

Also Read | Watch: Brain fade moment for Ruturaj Gaikwad and Jamie Overton after they leaves Sameer Rizvi's catch in he middle

Interestingly, this season's playoffs will take place across three venues due to some operational and logistical considerations. Although Bengaluru was initially slated to host the final, local authorities had certain requirements that didn’t align with the BCCI’s established guidelines, leading to the decision to move the championship match to Ahmedabad. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the reigning champions, finally ended their 18-year title drought by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 final. It’s worth noting that the previous final was also held at the Narendra Modi Stadium, marking the fourth time in the last five years that this venue has hosted the IPL final.