BCCI Delays IPL 2026 Schedule Release Over Election-Date Uncertainty

Officials say a phased rollout remains on the table pending confirmations from state authorities.

Overview

An unnamed BCCI official said fixtures are on hold because polling and counting could strain police deployment in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam.
Organisers are considering releasing the fixtures in two parts if election dates are not finalised soon.
The tournament window is expected to run from March 26 to May 31, though match-by-match details remain pending.
Venue readiness is another factor, with Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad transitioning from ICC T20 World Cup duties before IPL preparations can begin.
Franchises have explored contingencies, with reports of KKR discussing games in Cuttack and RR holding talks to stage home matches at Pune’s MCA Stadium, while the usual Kolkata-to-Guwahati shift could be complicated by Assam’s polls.