Ahmedabad To Host IPL 2026 Final On May 31; BCCI Announces Playoffs Schedule
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday announced the playoffs schedule for Indian Premier League 2026, confirming that Ahmedabad will host the final on May 31.
After 70 league-stage matches, the playoffs will begin with Qualifier 1 between the top two teams on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium, with a direct berth in the final at stake.
The Eliminator between the third- and fourth-placed teams will be played on May 27 at the New International Cricket Stadium. The same venue will host Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will take on the winner of the Eliminator for a place in the final.
“The season will conclude with the final on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium — the world’s largest cricket stadium. Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case,” the BCCI said in a release.
The IPL final is usually held at the home ground of the defending champions. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru having won the previous edition, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was initially slated to host the summit clash.
However, the BCCI said the venue was shifted due to requirements from local authorities that were “beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols”.
“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” it added.
