How to watch the IPL 2026 season in Australia: Fixtures, schedule and more

Cricket fans from all over Australia are eagerly awaiting the start of another magical edition of the IPL on Indian soil. While we would never go around bashing the Big Bash we all know and love, the Aussie T20 comp does play second fiddle to the Indian Premier League. The IPL first launched back in 2008, and its unbelievable success led to numerous other cricket leagues spawning all over the planet. Despite global growth in T20 events, the IPL remains the world's largest and most prestigious T20 franchise competition.

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The 2026 IPL season, which officially kicks off on March 28, is headlined by a massive Australian resurgence, most notably in the record-shattering signing of Cameron Green. After missing the 2025 season due to a back injury, Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history when the Kolkata Knight Riders secured him for a staggering ₹25.20 crore following a high-stakes bidding war. 

He is joined by a fresh wave of Australian talent, including Josh Inglis, who fetched ₹8.60 crore from Lucknow Super Giants, and rising stars like Cooper Connolly and Ben Dwarshuis, both snapped up by Punjab Kings. While veteran stars like Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins remain pivotal as retained anchors for Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, respectively, the auction also saw surprising snubs for established names like Jake Fraser-McGurk and Steve Smith. 

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Unsurprisingly, IPL is one of the most-watched overseas sports in Australia, with every game from each season shown live and streamed across the country as part of a top-drawer cricket feast. Let GOAL bring you all the vital information you need for IPL 2026, including what the upcoming schedule looks like and how you can watch or stream every single match.

When does the IPL start?

The tournament was initially slated for March 26, but the BCCI recently pushed the start date back by two days to March 28th, to allow a slightly larger gap following the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup final (which took place on March 8)

🇦🇺 How to watch IPL 2026 in Australia 

You'll be able to watch all IPL 2026 matches on Fox Cricket channels on TV. If you don't have Fox and don't wish to subscribe, sports streaming specialist Kayo Sports will also show this year's tournament. There are two subscription plan options. Here is a closer look at all of the details: 

Kayo Standard

This is the entry-level plan, designed for individual viewers.

• Price: $29.99 per month
• Simultaneous Streams: 1 screen at a time
• Video Quality: High Definition (up to 1080p)
• Key Features: Full access to all 50+ sports, SplitView (watch multiple games on one screen), No lock-in contract.

 Kayo Premium

This is the top-tier plan, targeted at households and those wanting the best visual experience.

• Price: $45.99 per month
• Simultaneous Streams: 2 screens at a time
• Video Quality:4K Ultra HD (on selected content and compatible devices)
• Key Features: Everything in Standard, plus 4K streaming and an extra concurrent stream.

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What is the IPL format?

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The IPL 2026 season is set to be the biggest in the tournament's history, expanding to an 84-match marathon. This change marks a significant shift from the 74-match format used in previous years, as the league moves toward a full double round-robin structure.

The top four teams, based on aggregate points, will qualify for the playoffs. At this stage, the top two teams compete with each other (‘Qualifier 1’), as do the remaining two teams (‘Eliminator’). The winner of ‘Qualifier 1’ heads straight to the Final, while the losing team will compete against the winning team of the ‘Eliminator’ (‘Qualifier 2’). The winner of ‘Qualifier 2’ goes to the Final.

Upcoming IPL 2026 schedule

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