IPL 2026 schedule: BCCI wait for Government election dates to confirm

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 schedule is ready on paper, but it will not be released just yet. With India’s domestic election calendar still unclear, the BCCI has decided to wait before locking in fixtures for the 19th season of the league. Government elections have historically hindered the scheduling of IPL games. Back in 2014, the first half of the tournament was scheduled in the UAE, while the entire IPL 2009 took place in South Africa as the government couldn’t certain security during election times.

Now, the decision for IPL 2026 was taken during a recent virtual meeting of the IPL Governing Council. Senior board officials believe announcing dates without clarity on polling schedules could lead to last-minute reshuffles. It is something the board wants to avoid after the logistical chaos seen in previous election years.

Assembly elections are expected in West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu, all of which house major IPL venues. Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Chepauk in Chennai and Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati are obviously key to the league’s planning, and any overlap with voting days would stretch security resources thin.

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