IPL 2027 will be played from 10 March to 15 May 2027, with ten teams playing 74 matches. For live scores, the points table, fixtures and team news, follow IPL Match 2027
The retention deadline is 17 November 2026, and the mini-auction is expected in December 2026. Those two events will finalise every squad before the season starts.
During the season, check the points table after every match — wins, points and net run rate decide the playoffs. Use the guide above for the whole season.
Season format: the ten teams contest a league stage followed by the playoffs. Each team plays 14 league matches, giving 70 league matches in total, and the four playoff matches take the season to 74 matches. The top four teams on the points table at the end of the league stage qualify for the playoffs. The first and second placed teams meet in Qualifier 1, with the winner going straight to the Final, while the third and fourth placed teams meet in the Eliminator. The loser of Qualifier 1 then plays the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 for the second place in the Final.
Points table: a win earns two points, a no-result earns one point for each team, and a loss earns no points. Teams are ranked first by points, and when teams are level on points, net run rate separates them. That is why every match matters, even late in the league stage: a big win can lift a team above its rivals on net run rate, while a heavy defeat can undo several good results. Fans should therefore watch both columns, points and net run rate, as the race for the top four takes shape.
Retention and mini-auction: before the season, every franchise must decide which players to retain and which to release, and the retention deadline is 17 November 2026. Released players, along with other available players, then go into the mini-auction expected in December 2026, where teams fill the remaining places in their squads and look for the balance they need, from opening batters and finishers to fast bowlers and spinners. The choices made at the retention deadline and the mini-auction shape each squad for the whole season, so the build-up is as important as the matches themselves.
How to follow the season: check the live score during every match, then look at the points table after the result to see how the standings have changed. Use the schedule to plan ahead, with fixtures showing the date, the teams and the venue for each match, and follow team news for squad updates, injuries and changes to the playing eleven. With 74 matches spread from 10 March to 15 May 2027, there is a match to follow on most days of the season.
Keep this guide close from the opening match on 10 March 2027 through to the Final on 15 May 2027, and use it for live scores, the points table, the full schedule and team news for the whole of IPL 2027.
