IPL 2026 venues span 13 stadiums across India, covering 10 primary home grounds and three secondary venues in Raipur, Dharamsala, and Guwahati.
The BCCI released the first phase of the TATA IPL 2026 schedule on March 12, 2026, confirming 20 matches across 10 cities from March 28 to April 12.
Three franchises will split their home games between two cities this season: RCB (Bengaluru + Raipur), PBKS (New Chandigarh + Dharamsala), and RR (Guwahati + Jaipur).
The remaining schedule depends on state assembly election dates for Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
IPL 2026 Venues at a Glance
Here is the complete list of all 13 IPL 2026 stadiums with their home teams, seating capacity, and pitch behaviour.
| Stadium | City | Home Team | Capacity | Pitch Behaviour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Bengaluru | RCB | 35,000 | Batting-friendly, short boundaries |
| Wankhede Stadium | Mumbai | MI | 33,000 | Pace-friendly, dew factor |
| MA Chidambaram Stadium | Chennai | CSK | 33,500 | Spin-friendly, slow surface |
| Eden Gardens | Kolkata | KKR | 68,000 | Balanced, dew in evenings |
| Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad | GT | 1,32,000 | True surface, large outfield |
| Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi | DC | 55,000 | Balanced, spin in mid-overs |
| Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Stadium | Hyderabad | SRH | 55,000 | Pace and bounce |
| Ekana Cricket Stadium | Lucknow | LSG | 50,000 | Batting-first advantage |
| MYS Intl. Cricket Stadium | Mullanpur | PBKS | 38,000 | Batting-friendly |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Jaipur | RR | 25,000 | Balanced, turns later |
| Barsapara Cricket Stadium | Guwahati | RR (Alternate) | 40,000 | Pace-friendly, true bounce |
| SVN Intl. Stadium | Naya Raipur | RCB (Secondary) | 65,000 | Batting-friendly |
| HPCA Stadium | Dharamsala | PBKS (Secondary) | 23,000 | Swing-friendly, scenic |
IPL Venues : In Depth Information
Here is the In- Depth Information of IPL 2026 Venues:
1. M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium takes centre stage this season as the venue for both the IPL 2026 opening match (RCB vs SRH, March 28) and the IPL 2026 final on May 31.
Defending champions RCB will play 5 of their 7 home matches here, with the remaining 2 shifted to Raipur.
Short square boundaries and flat pitches make this ground a nightmare for bowlers.
Totals of 200+ are almost routine here, so fantasy players should take note.
However, the stadium carries an emotional weight this season.
Chinnaswamy had not hosted top-flight cricket since the tragic stampede during RCB’s 2025 title celebrations, which claimed 11 lives.
On March 16, 2026, the Karnataka government’s Expert Committee officially cleared the stadium to host IPL matches after a thorough safety review.
New safety measures include QR-coded digital tickets, six additional entry gates, and extended metro services until 1 AM on match days.
The venue will host five RCB league games, one playoff match, and the final.
Capacity: 35,000 (down from 38,000) | Established: 1969 | IPL Matches Hosted: 99+
2. Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
If one ground breathes IPL history, it is the Wankhede Stadium.
Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, will host Kolkata Knight Riders here on March 29 as their opening fixture.
Wankhede has hosted more IPL matches than any other venue, with over 125 games played here since 2008.
The pitch favours pace bowlers early on, but the dew factor in evening matches tends to help the chasing team.
Short boundaries make it another batter-friendly venue.
Expect fireworks when MI host the defending champions RCB in the last match of the first phase.
Capacity: 33,000 | Established: 1974 | IPL Matches Hosted: 125+
3. MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), Chennai
One of the oldest cricket grounds in India, Chepauk was established in 1916 and remains CSK’s fortress.
The pitch here is the polar opposite of Chinnaswamy.
Slow, low, and abrasive, this is the most spin-friendly surface in the IPL.
That perfectly suits CSK’s traditionally spin-heavy bowling lineup.
Defending totals has historically been more viable here compared to most other IPL venues.
Led by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK will look to leverage home conditions after a disappointing 10th-place finish in IPL 2025.
The big storyline here is Sanju Samson, who arrives from RR in a headline-grabbing trade that sent Jadeja the other way.
Chennai matches may be affected by Tamil Nadu state assembly elections, and dates could be rescheduled.
Capacity: 33,500 | Established: 1916 | IPL Matches Hosted: 91+
4. Eden Gardens, Kolkata
The oldest cricket stadium in India (established 1864), Eden Gardens is a ground where atmosphere alone can intimidate the opposition.
With a capacity of around 68,000, the noise levels during KKR home games are legendary.
The pitch tends to offer early assistance to pace bowlers, with lateral movement during the powerplay before settling into a balanced surface.
Dew plays a significant role in evening matches, often tipping the scales in favour of the chasing side.
KKR, captained by Ajinkya Rahane, made the big-money signing of Cameron Green for Rs 25.20 crore at the auction, making Green the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
KKR’s home fixtures could be affected by West Bengal assembly elections, so keep an eye on revised schedules.
Capacity: 68,000 | Established: 1864 | IPL Matches Hosted: 100+
5. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
The world’s largest cricket stadium with a staggering 1,32,000 seating capacity needs no introduction.
Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, have called this ground home since their debut in 2022.
The pitch generally offers a good batting surface in the first innings but tends to slow down as the game progresses, bringing spinners into play.
The large outfield and long boundaries make it trickier for big hitters.
Technique often wins over brute power at this venue.
GT’s first home game of IPL 2026 is a double-header clash against Rajasthan Royals on April 4.
Capacity: 1,32,000 | Established: 1982 (renovated 2020) | IPL Matches Hosted: 45+
6. Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Formerly called Feroz Shah Kotla, the Arun Jaitley Stadium is the second oldest cricket ground in India, established in 1883.
The surface here offers a balanced contest between bat and ball.
Spin tends to come into play during the middle overs, while dew in the evenings makes chasing a slightly preferred option.
Delhi Capitals, led by captain Axar Patel, will host Mumbai Indians in the first double-header afternoon match on April 4.
DC may also play select home fixtures at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam, as they did in the previous two seasons.
That confirmation is expected once the full second-phase schedule drops.
Capacity: 55,000 | Established: 1883 | IPL Matches Hosted: 97+
7. Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Located in Uppal, the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium is where Sunrisers Hyderabad welcome their opponents.
The pitch here offers pace and bounce, making it a ground where fast bowlers can be genuinely threatening.
SRH captain Pat Cummins will miss the first half of the tournament due to injury.
Ishan Kishan will lead the side in his absence.
Dew is also a factor here in evening games, creating even contests between bat and ball.
Capacity: 55,000 | Established: 2004 | IPL Matches Hosted: 83+
8. Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
One of the newest IPL venues, the Ekana Cricket Stadium (officially Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium) has quickly become a quality venue for T20 cricket.
The surface tends to favour teams batting first, with the pitch offering true bounce early before becoming slower as the game progresses.
Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, will host Delhi Capitals in their opening fixture during the first phase.
With a capacity of around 50,000, the atmosphere here has grown each season.
LSG also bolstered their squad with the addition of Mohammed Shami, who was traded in from SRH.
Capacity: 50,000 | Established: 2017 | IPL Matches Hosted: 22+
9. Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
Commonly referred to as the PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh, this is one of the newest stadiums on the IPL circuit.
Punjab Kings, captained by Shreyas Iyer, will play 4 of their 7 home matches here, with the remaining 3 shifted to Dharamsala.
The pitch has shown a slight batting-first advantage so far, though the sample size is still small with only 11 IPL matches hosted here to date.
PBKS will open their season at this ground against Gujarat Titans.
Capacity: 38,000 | Established: 2021 | IPL Matches Hosted: 11+
10. Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur is the original home of the inaugural IPL champions, Rajasthan Royals.
RR are scheduled to play 4 home matches here during the season, with the remaining 3 taking place in Guwahati.
The pitch generally starts as a good batting surface before offering turn as the game progresses, making it a balanced venue overall.
This season, Riyan Parag takes over as captain from Sanju Samson, who was traded to CSK.
RR also welcomed Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in that trade, though Curran has been ruled out of the tournament with a groin injury.
Jaipur fixtures will be part of the second phase schedule, which is yet to be announced.
Capacity: 25,000 | Established: 1969 | Location: Pink City, Jaipur
11. Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
The Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati serves as RR’s alternate home ground and has become a regular IPL venue in recent seasons.
RR will kick off their entire IPL 2026 campaign from Guwahati, hosting CSK and MI in their first three home fixtures here.
The pitch offers pace and true bounce, making it a good ground for fast bowlers and aggressive batters.
The CSK vs RR clash here is particularly spicy.
Jadeja and Samson will face their former teams for the first time since the trade.
Guwahati fixtures may also be subject to changes due to Assam assembly elections.
Capacity: 40,000 | Location: Barsapara, Guwahati, Assam
12. Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Naya Raipur
This Raipur-based stadium steps in as RCB’s secondary venue for IPL 2026, hosting 2 of their 7 home matches.
The move gives fans in Chhattisgarh a rare opportunity to watch top-level IPL cricket in their city.
The pitch here generally favours batting, with true bounce and even carry making it a ground where stroke-makers can thrive.
With a capacity of around 65,000, it is one of the larger grounds on the circuit.
Capacity: 65,000 | Location: Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh
13. HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
If one IPL venue wins the beauty contest every year, it is Dharamsala.
Nestled in the Kangra Valley with the snow-dusted Dhauladhar mountain range as a backdrop, the HPCA Stadium is arguably the most scenic cricket ground on the planet.
Punjab Kings will play 3 of their 7 home matches here this season.
The altitude and cool mountain air make conditions swing-friendly, especially in the early overs.
Fast bowlers love this ground, so teams relying heavily on spin might find it tricky here.
At just 23,000 seats, it is the smallest IPL venue this season.
But the atmosphere punches well above its size.
Capacity: 23,000 | Location: Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Key Venue-Related Changes in IPL 2026
This season brings several notable shifts from previous editions.
Three Teams, Two Home Grounds Each
For the first time, three franchises are splitting their home fixtures between two cities.
| Franchise | Home Grounds (Matches) |
|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Bengaluru (5) + Raipur (2) |
| Punjab Kings | New Chandigarh (4) + Dharamsala (3) |
| Rajasthan Royals | Guwahati (3) + Jaipur (4) |
This split is partly logistical and partly about expanding the IPL’s footprint into newer markets.
Chinnaswamy Safety Overhaul
The Karnataka government cleared Chinnaswamy on March 16 after a thorough safety audit following the 2025 stampede tragedy.
Key upgrades include QR-coded ticketing, six new entry gates, coordination with Bengaluru Metro for extended services, and a dedicated social media safety awareness campaign.
The stadium has been approved for full capacity at 35,000 (reduced from the earlier 38,000).
Election-Driven Schedule Splits
Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu have forced the BCCI to release the schedule in phases.
Only the first 20 matches (March 28 to April 12) have been announced so far.
The rest will follow once poll dates are confirmed, which could also impact venues for KKR, CSK, and RR fixtures.
84 Matches: The Biggest IPL Season Yet
IPL 2026 expands to 84 matches, up from 74 in the previous season.
This makes it the largest edition in the tournament’s history.
The expansion means more games at each venue and a longer tournament window stretching from March 28 to May 31.
Possible 14th Venue: Visakhapatnam
According to ESPN, it is not yet clear whether Delhi Capitals will play any of their home games at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam, as they did in the previous two seasons.
If confirmed, this would take the total venue count to 14 for the season.
IPL 2026 Match Timings and Broadcast Details
Here is a quick reference for all broadcast and timing details.
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 Hindi |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar (official digital partner) |
| Evening Match Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Afternoon Match Time | 3:30 PM IST (double-headers) |
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Final Verdict: 13 Stadiums Will Host IPL 2026
IPL 2026 venues stretch across 13 stadiums, from the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (1,32,000 capacity) to the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala (23,000 capacity).
With split home grounds for three franchises, safety-driven capacity restrictions at Chinnaswamy, and election-linked schedule uncertainties, the venue story this season is one of the most complex in IPL history.
Keep checking the official IPL website for the full second-phase schedule and any venue updates as the tournament unfolds starting March 28.
