Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter IPL 2026 as defending champions, having lifted their maiden IPL trophy in 2025 under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar. RCB open the tournament on March 28 at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Here is the complete match-by-match schedule for RCB across the full IPL 2026 league stage.
RCB IPL 2026 — Full Schedule
Captain: Rajat Patidar. Home venues: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru and Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur. Total league stage matches: 14. Live streaming: JioHotstar. TV broadcast: Star Sports.
RCB Complete IPL 2026 Match Schedule
Match 1: March 28, Saturday, 7:30 PM — RCB vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Bengaluru. Home match. Season opener. RCB’s first match as defending champions.
Match 2: April 5, Sunday, 7:30 PM — RCB vs Chennai Super Kings, Bengaluru. Home match. Virat Kohli vs Ruturaj Gaikwad. One of the most anticipated clashes of the first phase.
Match 3: April 10, Friday, 7:30 PM — Rajasthan Royals vs RCB, Guwahati. Away match.
Match 4: April 12, Sunday, 7:30 PM — Mumbai Indians vs RCB, Mumbai. Away match. Wankhede showdown to close out the first phase.
Match 5: April 15, Wednesday, 7:30 PM — RCB vs Lucknow Super Giants, Bengaluru. Home match.
Match 6: April 18, Saturday, 3:30 PM — RCB vs Delhi Capitals, Bengaluru. Home match. Afternoon fixture.
Match 7: April 20, Monday, 7:30 PM — Gujarat Titans vs RCB, Ahmedabad. Away match.
Match 8: April 24, Friday, 7:30 PM — RCB vs Gujarat Titans, Bengaluru. Home match.
Match 9: April 28, Monday, 7:30 PM — Delhi Capitals vs RCB, Delhi. Away match.
Match 10: April 30, Thursday, 7:30 PM — Gujarat Titans vs RCB, Ahmedabad. Away match.
Match 11: May 7, Thursday, 7:30 PM — Lucknow Super Giants vs RCB, Lucknow. Away match.
Match 12: May 10, Sunday, 7:30 PM — RCB vs Mumbai Indians, Raipur. Home match at secondary venue.
Match 13: May 13, Wednesday, 7:30 PM — RCB vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Raipur. Home match at secondary venue.
Match 14: May 16, Saturday, 3:30 PM — Punjab Kings vs RCB, Dharamsala. Away match. Afternoon fixture.
Match 15: May 22, Friday, 7:30 PM — Sunrisers Hyderabad vs RCB, Hyderabad. Away match. Final league stage fixture.
RCB Home Matches at a Glance
RCB play five home matches at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28, April 5, April 15, April 18, and April 24. They play two home matches at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on May 10 and May 13. Fans in Bengaluru should note that tickets are available exclusively through the official RCB website and app. RCB has warned against fraudulent third-party platforms. All valid ticket holders receive a complimentary metro ride on match day.
RCB Away Fixtures Summary
RCB play eight away matches across six different cities in IPL 2026. Guwahati hosts Rajasthan Royals vs RCB on April 10. Mumbai’s Wankhede hosts MI vs RCB on April 12. Ahmedabad hosts RCB twice, on April 20 and April 30, both against Gujarat Titans. Delhi hosts DC vs RCB on April 28. Lucknow hosts LSG vs RCB on May 7. Dharamsala hosts PBKS vs RCB on May 16. Hyderabad hosts SRH vs RCB on May 22.
What to Watch For in RCB’s Campaign
Virat Kohli’s form will be the most watched individual storyline of RCB’s campaign. Kohli scored 657 runs in IPL 2025 at an average of 54.75 and was central to RCB’s maiden title win. His teammate Jitesh Sharma has publicly predicted that Kohli will win the Orange Cap in IPL 2026 and potentially break his own single-season record of 973 runs set in 2016.
RCB’s squad has been strengthened with additions including Phil Salt, Venkatesh Iyer, Josh Hazlewood, and Krunal Pandya. As defending champions, every RCB match carries the added weight of a title defence that only two franchises have successfully completed in IPL history.