All four teams for the IPL 2026 playoffs have now been confirmed. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already booked their places, but Rajasthan Royals completed the final berth with a 30-run victory over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. RR’s win in their last league outing effectively removed Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders from the race for the last playoff spot. In the end, Rajasthan Royals finished fourth in the standings, collecting 16 points from 14 matches.
How the final playoff spot was decided
With multiple sides still in contention entering the concluding round, the Rajasthan Royals result proved decisive. A 30-run triumph over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium ensured RR moved into the top four, while the outcome meant Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders were knocked out from playoff contention.
- Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai Indians by 30 runs in the final league match at Wankhede Stadium
- RR’s qualification knocked out Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders from the playoff race
- Rajasthan Royals ended fourth with 16 points in 14 games
Playoff fixtures for IPL 2026
The playoffs begin with Qualifier 1, followed by the Eliminator, then Qualifier 2, and the championship match at the end of the schedule.
- Qualifier 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans
- Date: May 26 (Tuesday)
- Time: 7:30 PM (IST)
- Venue: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
- Eliminator: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals
- Date: May 27 (Wednesday)
- Time: 7:30 PM (IST)
- Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh
- Qualifier 2: Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Eliminator
- Date: May 29 (Friday)
- Time: 7:30 PM (IST)
- Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh
- Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2
- Date: May 31 (Sunday)
- Time: 7:30 PM (IST)
- Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Final league standings set the playoff order
Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended the league stage as the top-ranked side. They finished level on 18 points with Gujarat Titans (second) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (third), but an advantage in net run rate enabled RCB to take first place. Gujarat Titans also held a superior net run rate compared with Sunrisers Hyderabad, which helped the Shubman Gill-led team edge past Pat Cummins’ group in the points table.
- RCB finished first after the league stage on 18 points, level with GT and SRH
- RCB claimed the top spot due to a better net run rate
- Gujarat Titans finished ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad, with net run rate being the deciding factor
- Shubman Gill’s side edged out Pat Cummins’ team in the final points positions thanks to NRR
IPL’s trophy history adds extra weight
The playoff line-up also reflects the league’s most decorated franchises. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are IPL’s most successful sides, with five titles each. Kolkata Knight Riders sit just behind them, having won three trophies.
- Mumbai Indians: five IPL titles
- Chennai Super Kings: five IPL titles
- Kolkata Knight Riders: three IPL titles
