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New Delhi: There is big news for the fans of the Indian Premier League. BCCI is preparing to make IPL bigger from 2028. According to the plan, there will be only 10 teams in the league, but the number of matches will be increased from 74 to 94. IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal himself has confirmed this roadmap. He said that the purpose of this change is to make the format simpler for both fans and broadcasters.

Virtual group system will end! 

According to media reports, the structure of IPL may change completely in the new media rights cycle starting in 2028. Currently 10 teams are divided into two virtual groups. But in the new plan of 94 matches, each team will face the other 9 teams twice.

One match at home and one away. That means the old round-robin format with complete home-and-away will return. This format was used in the 8-team era of IPL. With 10 teams, the group system was introduced so that the tournament does not get lengthy. Now BCCI wants to return to pure league format again.

Teams will not increase, matches will increase 

IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal made it clear that the number of franchises will remain only 10. He said, “With the existing teams, we can only increase the number of matches. It is not wise to increase the number of teams right now. If we have to play equal number of home and away matches, then going from 74 to 94 would be the best situation.”

Indian Premier League Chairman Arun Dhumal had said the same thing last year also. He believes that having 12 teams will dilute the talent pool. Currently, domestic players are divided among 10 franchises. More teams will affect the quality.

The case is stuck on ICC’s window   

It is difficult to implement the plan of 94 matches immediately. The biggest reason for this is ICC’s Future Tours Programme. The calendar of bilateral series till 2027 is already fixed. Currently BCCI has only 60-65 days window for IPL. It is impossible to hold 94 matches without double-headers.

Double-header means two matches in a day. Broadcasters don’t like it. This divides viewership and reduces ad revenue. Dhumal said, “We need a bigger window to increase matches from 74 to 94. We are looking for a window of two and a half months in the bilateral cycle after 2027. If we get that, then 94 matches are confirmed.”