The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed the schedule and venues for the TATA IPL 2026 playoffs, with Ahmedabad set to host the final on May 31 after Bengaluru lost hosting rights for the title clash. Dharamshala and New Chandigarh will stage the remaining knockout fixtures once the playoff phase begins following the conclusion of the league stage later this month.
Qualifier 1 will take place at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on May 26, while the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 will be played at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on May 27 and May 29 respectively. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will then host the IPL 2026 final two days later.
Playoff venues and qualification pathway
BCCI outlined the playoff structure in an official statement, stating: “Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams in the standings, will be played on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, with a direct berth in the Final at stake.”
The board added further: “The action will then move to the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, which will host the Eliminator on May 27 between the third and fourth-placed teams. The same venue will also stage Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist.”
Ahmedabad will host the IPL final for the fourth time in five seasons after previously staging the title clash in 2022, 2023 and 2025. In its announcement, BCCI said: “The season will conclude with the grand Final on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — the world’s largest cricket stadium — setting the stage for a spectacular finale.”
Bengaluru loses hosting rights
The governing body also confirmed that the playoffs would be split across three venues this season. BCCI said in an official statement: “Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case.”
The decision also formally ends Bengaluru’s hopes of hosting the final despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru entering the season as defending champions. As previously reported by cricexec, uncertainty had emerged around the venue amid escalating controversy surrounding ticket allocation demands involving Karnataka legislators and local authorities.
That earlier dispute centred on requests for guaranteed ticket quotas for elected representatives, creating administrative complications around match allocations and access. The issue later intensified discussions between the Karnataka government and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), while concerns over ticket distribution and governance continued to draw public scrutiny.
BCCI addressed the venue switch directly in its statement, saying: “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.”
KSCA responds to venue change
Following the announcement, the KSCA acknowledged the decision while expressing disappointment over losing the matches. The association said in a statement: “Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the Playoffs, we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues.”
The KSCA further added: “While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard.”
Knockout structure changes this season
The revised structure also creates an unusual playoff pathway compared to recent IPL seasons. Last year, New Chandigarh hosted Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, while Ahmedabad staged Qualifier 2 and the final. This season, however, teams advancing from Qualifier 2 will also need to travel to Ahmedabad for the title clash instead of remaining at the same venue for consecutive knockout matches.
The IPL 2026 league stage is scheduled to conclude on May 24 before attention shifts to the playoffs beginning two days later in Dharamshala.
IPL 2026 playoff schedule
Qualifier 1 – May 26 – HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala
Eliminator – May 27 – New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
Qualifier 2 – May 29 – New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
Final – May 31 – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
