Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are likely to lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening encounter of the season in Bengaluru. As per reports by Cricbuzz, this match could be the opening one of the new IPL season.

RCB won their maiden IPL title last season and will enter the season as defending champions while last year’s runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS) are expected to play their opening game against Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 29 in New Chandigarh.

Although the full schedule is yet to be announced, some of the key events ahead of the start of the season have now been revealed:

IPL Captains' photoshoot on March 15

The traditional IPL captains' photoshoot will be held on March 15, in New Delhi, as per reports. The photoshoot is a ritual that is held every year ahead of the start of the season.

In the event, all the captains from the league pose together holding the IPL trophy and the photos are utilized for pre-season promotions and media interactions.

This season, most of the captains playing in the league are Indians. However, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins is currently the only overseas captain in the league. The captains get to see each other for the first time in the official tournament at this photoshoot and it is a rather exciting occasion.

BCCI to Meet captains and coaches on March 25

Apart from the photoshoot, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will also host a meeting with all the IPL captains and coaches.

This meeting is to be held in Mumbai on March 25. Although the agenda of the meeting is yet to be revealed, discussions usually center around rules and playing conditions to ensure a smooth and competitive season ahead. Some changes for the new season of IPL might also be on the cards and discussed here.

There have been quite a few significant developments that have already attracted considerable attention ahead of IPL 2026, including the blockbuster trade of Sanju Samson to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja, who moved back to the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Cameron Green was also snapped up by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a whopping ₹25.20 crore in the mini auction, making him the most expensive player in the tournament. However, KKR have also encountered some hiccups ahead of the new season; Mustafizur Rahman had to be released due to some visa complications stemming from political tensions between India and Bangladesh.

The franchise is also awaiting updates on the fitness of Matheesha Pathirana and Harshit Rana. With the IPL season on the horizon, the fans can expect more news and updates on the schedule and team news very soon.