The BCCI has indicated that the venues for the IPL playoffs and the final will be confirmed within the next couple of days. BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia said the board is still evaluating the “appropriate” location(s) and will take additional time before making a final call. “We are working on what could be the appropriate venue for the IPL playoffs and the final. So, we will take another two days’ time,” Saikia said.
When questioned about the proposed host cities—Mullanpur and Bengaluru—linked to the fact that Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings were the finalists and champions last year, Saikia declined to engage with the speculation. “You can keep guessing, but I am not going to give you a reply. We will take a call in two days’ time,” he added.
There has also been chatter that the two “obvious” venues may not automatically receive playoff matches this time, particularly Mullanpur. That ground had already staged both Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator earlier than planned during last season, which was heavily impacted by disruptions. In that edition, those fixtures were originally meant to take place in Hyderabad, given that Sunrisers Hyderabad were the finalists. However, due to logistical constraints and weather-related problems, the games were shifted to the stadium in New Chandigarh.
Similarly, the Eden Gardens in Kolkata was originally scheduled to host the final but the plan was altered because of Operation Sindoor. As the monsoon set in, the BCCI relocated Qualifier 2 and the final to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
For the current season, the BCCI has not yet published the full playoff schedule. The board has only stated that the IPL campaign will conclude on May 31. While the complete timetable is still awaited, it is understood that the last four matches could fall on May 26 (Qualifier 1), May 27 (Eliminator), May 29 (Qualifier 2) and May 31 (final).
