Three of the four playoff berths in IPL 2026 are already locked in, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans sealing qualification. That leaves just one spot up for grabs, and five teams are still mathematically in contention—depending on how their final fixtures and the results elsewhere go.
Current contenders and the equation for the last spot
- Rajasthan Royals (RR): Played 12, Points 12, NRR 0.027. Remaining matches: LSG (H) and MI (A).
- Punjab Kings (PBKS): Played 13, Points 13, NRR 0.227. Remaining match: LSG (A).
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Played 13, Points 12, NRR -0.016. Remaining match: GT (A).
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Played 12, Points 11, NRR -0.038. Remaining matches: MI (H) and DC (H).
- Delhi Capitals (DC): Played 13, Points 12, NRR -0.871. Remaining match: KKR (A).
Rajasthan Royals: control their own destiny
Among the five teams still chasing the final playoff position, Rajasthan Royals are the only side that can progress without needing other results to fall their way.
RR’s last two league games come against Lucknow Super Giants at home and Mumbai Indians away. Lucknow are placed ninth, while Mumbai sit tenth.
If RR win both
Rajasthan will secure a top-four finish if they win both of their remaining matches. There is also a route to second place: RR can finish second if they win both games and if both Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad lose their respective final match.
If RR drop one match
Should RR lose one of the two, they can still remain alive for fourth, but the qualification will then hinge on other outcomes. Specifically, RR would need Punjab Kings to lose their last game, and Kolkata Knight Riders to lose at least one of their remaining two fixtures.
NRR scenarios involving RR and CSK/DC
Net run rate becomes crucial if RR finish level on 14 points with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. RR are currently ahead of CSK by roughly ten runs, but the gap between RR and DC is more than 200 runs.
Punjab Kings: one match to stay alive
Punjab Kings are on the verge of elimination after suffering six straight defeats in the league stage. Their only remaining fixture is against Lucknow Super Giants away.
A win over LSG in that game will keep PBKS in the race, but they will still require Rajasthan Royals to lose one of their two remaining matches.
Possible tie with KKR
If those conditions are met, PBKS could finish level on 15 points with Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR are currently on 11 points and have two matches left. In that situation, net run rate would decide who finishes ahead, with PBKS in a better position on NRR at present.
What PBKS need across the remaining days
For PBKS to benefit from a chain of results, the following pattern would be required: RR would have to lose to LSG on Tuesday, KKR would need to lose to MI on Wednesday, and then CSK would have to fail to win against GT on Thursday.
On Sunday—the final day of the group stage—PBKS would need RR to lose to MI, and KKR to beat Delhi Capitals. Even then, the margin of KKR’s win would have to be limited enough that it does not allow them to overhaul PBKS on net run rate.
Chennai Super Kings: chasing a miracle
Consecutive losses have left Chennai Super Kings relying on a major turnaround to reach the playoffs. CSK’s ceiling is 14 points, which means they must see Punjab Kings lose to LSG, while both Rajasthan Royals and KKR each lose at least one of their remaining two matches.
What happens if CSK and RR end level
CSK can still qualify on net run rate even if they finish tied on points with RR and DC at 14. Right now, RR have the strongest net run rate among the three, but CSK are only about 0.043 behind RR. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, are far off the pace compared to both CSK and RR.
Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals: needing results to cascade
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders have maintained their playoff hopes thanks to five wins in their last six matches. If they win both of their remaining games—against Mumbai Indians at home and Delhi Capitals at home—they will reach 15 points.
For that to be enough, KKR would need Rajasthan Royals, currently on 12 points, to lose at least one of their last two matches. If PBKS win their final match, the race would then narrow to a net run rate comparison between PBKS and KKR.
KKR can also qualify on 13 points, but that would require a heavy dose of favourable outcomes elsewhere. If KKR lose to DC, they cannot move beyond their current points tally. They can afford to lose to MI only if RR, PBKS and CSK all fail to win their remaining matches too.
In the scenario where KKR lose to MI but still qualify due to other results, beating DC by a larger margin in their last game would be important, because it would put KKR ahead of PBKS on net run rate.
Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals are facing the toughest path of all, with a net run rate of -0.871—the lowest among all ten teams. Their realistic chance of reaching the playoffs depends on PBKS, RR and CSK each losing their remaining matches.
If those results go against the three teams, DC’s final league match versus KKR becomes decisive. A win there would allow Delhi to finish fourth in the standings.
However, if CSK beat Gujarat Titans and RR manage to win one of their two remaining games, then DC’s last assignment changes completely: they would need to win against KKR by a margin of more than 200 runs to have a mathematical shot at qualification.
