Following a thrilling conclusion to the 2026 Indian Premier League season – which saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinch successive titles in Ahmedabad – the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding the expansion of the tournament.
Reports suggested that the cash-rich league could soon increase its schedule from 74 matches to a massive 94-match format, but BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has made it clear that adding more fixtures is not on the immediate horizon. Instead, administrative focus has shifted entirely toward countering unpredictable weather and extreme climate challenges.
Also Read | Watch: Lalit Modi Finally Speaks Out On Sushmita Sen, Reacts To ‘Gold Digger’ Label
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said (as quoted by Hindustan Times): “I cannot say at this moment that we are taking the matter very seriously to increase it from 74 to 94 because there are a lot of other factors involved. We have to look at the various FTPs and the participation of other countries in bilateral and other multinational tournaments where the ICC is the governing body. So, there is no immediate talk about increasing it. But let’s see how things progress after 2027. Only time will tell.”
Extreme Summer Heat and Monsoons Force Schedule Review
The actual priority driving internal board discussions is protecting players and fans from intense summer conditions. The late-May stretch of the 2026 season proved difficult, with various host cities dealing with blistering heatwaves, while other venues faced disruptive pre-monsoon showers.
Saikia said, “The only concern we are feeling, and it is in our discussion, is that while the tournament continues till 31st May, some venues are either showing signs of rain or experiencing high temperatures. So, we may be exploring ways to bring IPL forward by another 15 days.”
A Mid-March Start and a Mid-May Finish
To avoid pushing the tournament deep into the most brutal phase of the Indian summer, the BCCI is planning to move the opening match closer to mid-March. The ultimate goal is to wrap up the entire competition by mid-May.
He further explained, “This year, we started it around March 28. We’ll try to bring IPL a bit ahead of the season, maybe by March 15. We are working on it and will finish and close it by May 15 so that the rigors of the warm weather or the rain will not have any impact on the players as well as the crowd and the fans, which is very important because to watch a match, especially the matches in the hot sun, it is very difficult and very uncomfortable for the fans also because of the high temperature in some of the venues. So, we are working on it.”
