IPL 2026 playoffs venues announced: Mullanpur & Dharamsala to host key matches, final shifted to Ahmedabad

The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International PCA Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, will host the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL), while the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, will host the Qualifier 1.

The final will take place at Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. It was initially scheduled to take place at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. 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.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the schedule for the IPL Playoffs.

The Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams in the standings, will be played on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, with a direct berth in the final at stake. 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.

The season will conclude with the Final on May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following 70 high-intensity league-stage matches, the tournament now enters its decisive phase. Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case.

Schedule

Qualifier 1 – May 26 – HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala

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