The Indian Premier League has entered its knockout phase after 70 league matches, with four teams now left in contention for the 2026 title. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have secured their place in the play-offs alongside Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, setting up a decisive run of matches to determine this season’s winner.
The top two teams in the league stage, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans, will meet in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, 26 May. That match gives both sides a direct route to the final, with the winner advancing straight to Sunday’s championship game. The loser will get a second chance in Qualifier 2, but only after facing the winner of the Eliminator.
Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals will contest the Eliminator on Wednesday, 27 May. For both teams, it is a must-win match: the victor moves on to Qualifier 2, while the defeated side is eliminated from the tournament. The stakes are especially high in the knockout format, where one off day can end a season regardless of previous form.
Qualifier 2 is scheduled for Friday, 29 May. It will feature the loser of Qualifier 1 against the winner of the Eliminator, creating a final opportunity for one team to reach the title match. This stage often produces tense contests, as a side that missed out on the direct final berth must quickly regroup and overcome an opponent coming in with momentum from the Eliminator.
The IPL final will take place on Sunday, 31 May, with the winner of Qualifier 1 facing the winner of Qualifier 2. The champion will emerge from a short but intense playoff stretch that compresses the decisive moments of the tournament into less than a week.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the play-offs as defending champions, while Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are each chasing a second IPL title. That makes the upcoming matches particularly significant, as every remaining team has a chance to add another trophy to its record.
All play-off fixtures are set to begin at 15:00 BST, and the schedule is designed to reward the league-stage leaders with an extra opportunity to reach the final. The top-two finishers benefit from the safety net of Qualifier 1, while the third- and fourth-placed teams must survive the Eliminator to keep their title hopes alive.
With the league stage complete, attention now shifts to knockout cricket, where the margin for error disappears and the road to the championship becomes much shorter. The coming matches will decide whether Royal Challengers Bengaluru can defend their crown or whether one of the challengers can seize the IPL title.
