The BCCI had postponed the complete announcement to avoid clashes with election dates and to ensure smooth planning for the rest of the tournament.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match on March 28 in Bengaluru. The second phase of the tournament will begin on April 13, with Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad. The league stage will conclude on May 24 with a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals in Kolkata.
Matches scheduled as single headers will begin at 7:30 pm IST, while afternoon games on double-header days will start at 3:30 pm IST. There will be 12 days featuring double headers during the league phase.
The BCCI also stated that the schedule and venues for the playoffs and final will be announced later.
A total of 70 league matches will be played across 13 venues. Additional venues include Guwahati, Raipur, and Dharamsala. Rajasthan Royals will play three of their seven home matches in Guwahati. Punjab Kings will play three matches in Dharamsala, with their remaining four home games scheduled in Mullanpur.
For the first time, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will not play all their home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Instead, they will play two matches in Raipur—against Mumbai Indians on May 10 and against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 13.
