IPL 2026 playoffs schedule confirmed, RCB to take on GT in Qualifier 1, SRH face RR in Eliminator
by Koushik Narayanan · Inside Sport IndiaRCB will take on RR in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2026 playoffs in Dharamshala while SRH will take on RR in the Eliminator on Wednesday.
The stage is all set for the IPL 2026 playoffs, and the four teams set to take part in the final stage of the tournament have been confirmed. While RCB (table-toppers), Gujarat Titans (2nd place), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (3rd place) were the first three teams to confirm their spots in the playoffs, it came down to a battle between KKR, PBKS, and RR to secure the final spot in the top four. Rajasthan Royals won their final IPL 2026 league stage game by defeating MI by 30 runs to reach 16 points and become the fourth side to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs.
IPL 2026 playoffs schedule
| Match Stage | Date | Match | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifier 1 | May 26 | RCB vs GT | HPCA Stadium | Dharamshala |
| Eliminator | May 27 | SRH vs RR | New International Cricket Stadium | New Chandigarh |
| Qualifier 2 | May 29 | Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator | New International Cricket Stadium | New Chandigarh |
| Final | May 31 | TBD vs TBD | Narendra Modi Stadium | Ahmedabad |
By virtue of finishing in the top two on the IPL 2026 points table, RCB will lock horns with GT in Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala on May 26. The winner of the contest will proceed directly to the IPL 2026 final. SRH will take on RR in the Eliminator at Mullanpur on May 27. The winner of the Eliminator will take on the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh on May 29. The final is set to take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 31 (Sunday).
Road to IPL 2026 playoffs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
RCB topped the IPL 2026 points table, having won 9 out of the 14 league stage matches. The defending champions won 4 out of the first six games that they played, and lost to RR and DC by 6 wickets each. They won five out of the remaining eight matches, losing to GT and LSG in consecutive games, and then losing to SRH in their final league stage game after a 3-match winning streak.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
GT became the second side to make it to the IPL 2026 playoffs, having won 9 out of 14 matches. But they couldn’t make it to the top of the points table as their net run-rate (+0.695) is lower than that of RCB’s (0.783). While they started the season with a 2-match losing streak, they bounced back with three back-to-back wins. Then came two successive losses against MI and RCB. However, they recovered well after that with five wins on the trot. GT only lost one game in the last 7 matches that they played.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
SRH were the third side to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs, with 9 wins from 14 matches and a net run-rate of +0.524. Initially led by Ishan Kishan, the team lost three out of the first four games. They then bounced back with 5 consecutive wins. SRH then lost just two out of the last 5 games that they played, with a win against CSK sealing the deal for the side. However, they couldn’t get a better net run-rate, and hence managed to finish 3rd on the points table. Therefore, they will play the Eliminator.
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
RR became the last side to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs as they beat MI in a must-win encounter. After winning four games on the trot at the start of IPL 2026, they lost 6 out of the next 8 games that they played. RR kept their campaign alive with a 7-wicket win against LSG in their penultimate league stage game and had to take down MI to make it to the top four. With this win, Riyan Parag and co. have sealed the final spot and have denied PBKS and KKR the chance of making it to the IPL 2026 playoffs.