The 2008 season champions, Rajasthan Royals, became the fourth team to reach the playoffs, finishing with 16 points. (Image X @ANI)
Mumbai: The playoff picture for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) has become completely clear. The 2008 season champions, Rajasthan Royals, became the fourth team to reach the playoffs, finishing with 16 points. In their final league match on Sunday (May 24), the Rajasthan Royals defeated the Mumbai Indians (MI) by 30 runs.
In this match, played at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, the Rajasthan Royals set a target of 206 runs for the Mumbai Indians—a target the latter failed to successfully chase down. With the Rajasthan Royals' victory, both the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have been eliminated from the tournament.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gujarat Titans (GT), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had already secured their spots in the playoffs. At the conclusion of the league stage, Royal Challengers Bangalore finished first on the points table, followed by Gujarat Titans in second place and Sunrisers Hyderabad in third, while the Rajasthan Royals secured the fourth spot.
Now, in IPL 2026, Qualifier 1 is scheduled to be played between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans on May 26 (Tuesday). The winner of that match will advance directly to the final. Meanwhile, the losing team from Qualifier 1 will receive a second chance and will proceed to play in Qualifier 2. The winner of the Eliminator match—to be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals—will also earn the opportunity to play in Qualifier 2. The winner of Qualifier 2 will face the winner of Qualifier 1 in the final.
Qualifier 1 will be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala. The Eliminator and Qualifier 2 matches are scheduled to take place on May 27 (Wednesday) and May 29 (Friday), respectively, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. The title clash is scheduled for May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Playoff Match Schedule
Qualifier 1: May 26 – Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Titans, Dharamshala
Eliminator: May 27 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals, New Chandigarh
Qualifier 2: May 29 – Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator, New Chandigarh
Final: May 31 – Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2, Ahmedabad
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