IPL Playoffs 2026: Schedule, Teams, Venues, and Live Streaming Details

It is that time of the year when the Indian Premier League enters its decisive phase, with the remaining games scheduled to determine the champion. The 2026 IPL Playoffs are set to commence on May 26, featuring four teams competing to reach the top.

The intense, highly competitive league stage of the 19th edition of the IPL wrapped up after 70 matches. 10 franchises, comprising players from India and around the world, gave it their all, but only four of them could occupy a spot in the top four. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals are the four teams that have made it to the playoffs.

While RCB and GT will face off against each other in Qualifier 1, SRH and RR will play in the Eliminator. Coming to the league stages of IPL 2026, it was an absolute roller-coaster ride, marked by surprises and standout moments, from 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s ground-breaking hitting to veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s remarkable comeback.

Rajasthan Royals are the fourth and final team to qualify for the IPL 2026 play-offs ✅

Their win against Mumbai Indians means Punjab Kings have been eliminated, despite a seven-game unbeaten start to the season 😮#IPL2026 #Cricket pic.twitter.com/UyN3xJW8FO

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) May 24, 2026

It is now important to look at the four remaining fixtures, including the summit clash, which is scheduled to be played on May 31. Given that every franchise that has qualified for the playoffs has previously won an IPL trophy, the winning side will consequently improve its total count to two titles.

Schedule

All four of the playoff matches will be evening games, scheduled to commence at 7:30 PM IST, with the coin toss taking place 30 minutes prior. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face off against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, May 26, with the winner instantly advancing to the final, while the loser will get a lifeline in Qualifier 2 on Friday, May 29. 

🚨 IPL 2026 PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/TYOSt7fNNk

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 24, 2026

Meanwhile, the two remaining teams, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, will compete in the Eliminator. The loser of this match will drop out of the competition. The winner, on the other hand, will have to face the loser of Qualifier 1 for a chance to make it to the summit clash. The Eliminator is scheduled to be played on Wednesday, May 28, 2026.

Teams

Defending champions RCB secured the No.1 spot in the standings with 18 points from 14 matches, recording nine wins and five defeats. Interestingly, GT and SRH also finished level on points with the Bengaluru-based franchise, but stood second and third, respectively, as a result of a difference in Net Run Rate. RCB had an NRR of +0.783, GT +0.695, and SRH +0.524. 

RR, on the other hand, made it to the playoffs after securing a hard-earned victory over MI, with 16 points from 14 matches, including eight wins and six defeats. A major surprise of the season was the mid-season decline of Punjab Kings, who finished fifth. PBKS started the season strong, winning six of their first seven matches, but then experienced a slump, losing six and winning one of the following seven.

Venues

Coming to the venues, the first three playoff matches will be hosted at PBKS’ two home grounds, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, and the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Qualifier 1 between RCB and GT will be played in Himachal Pradesh, while Qualifier 2 and the Eliminator will be played in Punjab. 

🚨 BIG BREAKING ON VENUES OF IPL 2026 PLAYOFFS 🚨 (Abhishek Tripathi).

– Final to be held at Ahmedabad.
– Qualifier 1 at Dharamshala.
– Qualifier 2 ar Mullanpur.
– Eliminator ar Mullanpur. pic.twitter.com/9Vs0i0p88X

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) May 6, 2026

Finally, the tournament will reach its crescendo at the massive 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Although it was previously decided that the 2026 IPL final would take place in Bengaluru, midway through the season, the BCCI announced a change in venue. It is the fourth time in the last five years that the summit clash is being played in Ahmedabad.

Live Streaming and Broadcast

The 2026 IPL playoffs will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network for television viewers, with commentary offered in regional languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, and Telugu. Digitally, JioHotstar possesses the official live-streaming rights for the IPL. Internationally, streams will also be available on Sky Sports Cricket, Willow TV, Super Sport, and Fox Sports.

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