The 2026 Indian Premier League Final is scheduled for Sunday 31 May 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, bringing the curtain down on the nineteenth edition of the IPL. The title-deciding Twenty20 match closes a six-week tournament contested by ten franchises across India, with the winner lifting the IPL Trophy and a prize purse of roughly 200 million Indian rupees.
What is the IPL 2026 Final?
The Indian Premier League is the world’s richest cricket league, a Twenty20 franchise competition organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and launched in 2008. The IPL Final is the decisive match of the tournament’s playoff phase and follows the league stage, Qualifier 1, the Eliminator and Qualifier 2.
Each of the ten franchises plays 14 league matches over roughly six weeks. The top four teams advance to the playoffs, where Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator are staged before Qualifier 2 determines the second finalist. The format guarantees the top two league teams two chances to reach the final, rewarding consistency across the league stage.
When is the IPL 2026 Final?
The final takes place on Sunday 31 May 2026. First ball is scheduled for 19:30 Indian Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30), which is 15:00 in the United Kingdom, 10:00 Eastern Time in the United States and 00:00 on 1 June in Australian Eastern Time. The match is a single 40-over contest (20 overs per side) plus any Super Over required in the event of a tie.
Where is the IPL 2026 Final?
The match is hosted at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The ground has a capacity of around 35,000, first hosted international cricket in 1974 and serves as the home of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the 2025 IPL champions. It is the first time Bengaluru has hosted an IPL Final since 2014 and reflects the BCCI’s policy of awarding the final to a different venue each season.
Key Contenders
Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the season as the defending champions, having won their maiden IPL title in 2025 after 17 years in the competition. Mumbai Indians remain the most successful franchise in tournament history with five titles, while Chennai Super Kings have also won the trophy five times. Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans round out the group of recent champions.
Star names to watch include Virat Kohli at RCB, Rohit Sharma for Mumbai, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s successor at Chennai, plus overseas stars such as Jos Buttler, Pat Cummins, Travis Head, Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan, who typically feature across the ten squads. The 2026 auction reshuffled the player pool and every franchise has fresh claims on the title.
How to Watch
In India, the IPL 2026 Final is broadcast live by the Star Sports television network and streamed on JioHotstar, the league’s official digital rights holder in the subcontinent. Regional-language feeds are available in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Bengali alongside the English feed.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Sky Sports holds exclusive live rights and shows the match on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event. In the United States, Willow TV carries every IPL game, with digital streaming via Willow and its partners. Australian viewers can watch on Prime Video, while regional rights across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia are held by SuperSport, Cricbuzz, Yupp TV and other carriers.
History and Records
The Indian Premier League was launched in 2008 and has grown into cricket’s most-watched domestic tournament. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the joint-most successful franchises with five titles each. The highest total in an IPL Final is 214 by Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024, while Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL history with 175 not out. Pat Cummins, the 2024 winning captain with Sunrisers, and Ajinkya Rahane, 2025 KKR winner, are among the recent champions.
Tickets and Attendance
Tickets for the IPL 2026 Final are sold through BookMyShow and Paytm Insider, the BCCI’s official ticketing partners. Demand for the final typically far exceeds supply, with prices ranging from around 1,500 rupees for upper-tier seats to over 30,000 rupees for premium enclosures and hospitality. Resale markets often see prices multiply several times in the days before the match.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the IPL 2026 Final start?
First ball is scheduled for 19:30 IST on Sunday 31 May 2026.
Where is the IPL 2026 Final being held?
At the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India.
How can I watch the IPL Final?
Star Sports and JioHotstar in India, Sky Sports in the UK, Willow TV in the US and Prime Video in Australia.
Who won the last IPL Final?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the 2025 IPL Final, their first title in the competition.