The league stage is almost done and the IPL 2026 playoff picture is taking shape. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad are in, separated by little more than net run rate, while a four-way scrap for the last spot has turned the final week into chaos. Here is who is playing whom, who we fancy, and how to follow it all the way to Ahmedabad on May 31.
The bracket: how the playoffs flow
The IPL playoffs are not a straight single-elimination knockout. Only four teams make it, and finishing in the top two is worth a fortune because it buys a second life. The full mechanics — why the top two get two bites at the cherry, how the Eliminator differs from the Qualifiers — are laid out in our IPL playoffs format guide, but the short version is this:
- Qualifier 1 (May 26, Dharamshala): first plays second. The winner goes straight to the final; the loser drops to Qualifier 2 and still has another shot.
- Eliminator (May 27, New Chandigarh): third plays fourth. Win or go home — the loser’s season ends here.
- Qualifier 2 (May 29, New Chandigarh): the Qualifier 1 loser meets the Eliminator winner. The winner claims the second final berth.
- Final (May 31, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad): the showpiece, in front of a six-figure crowd.
Who has qualified
RCB, GT and SRH have all sealed playoff places, finishing level on points at the top with net run rate doing the sorting. On the current standings RCB and Gujarat hold the top-two berths and the Qualifier 1 meeting, with Sunrisers slipping into the Eliminator. That is a brutal break for SRH, who topped the table for stretches of the season but now face a win-or-bust opener against whoever grabs fourth.
The final spot is the season’s last open question. Punjab Kings sit fourth on 13 points but limped to the line, while Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals are all stalking them on 12. A single result in the last round of league games could swing it, which is exactly the kind of dead-rubber-killing tension the playoff race is built to produce.
Predictions
Qualifier 1 is the tie of the round. RCB’s batting depth and home comfort in the conditions make them slight favourites, but Gujarat have the most balanced attack of the top three, and a team that defends well in the powerplay tends to travel better in knockout cricket. We lean RCB, narrowly — though the real prize for both is the safety net of Qualifier 2 if it goes wrong.
The Eliminator is where SRH’s ceiling matters. On their day their top order can chase down anything, but they have been streaky, and a one-off knockout punishes streaky teams. If the fourth seed arrives with momentum, this is the most likely upset of the playoffs. Our pick for the title remains one of the top two — the second-chance format rewards them too heavily to bet against — with RCB and GT the most probable finalists.
Storylines to watch
- The net-run-rate logjam. Three teams on identical points is a reminder that in a tight IPL season, the margins you build in routine wins decide whether you start in Qualifier 1 or the Eliminator.
- RCB chasing the monkey off their back. One of the league’s most-followed franchises is again among the favourites; every deep run renews the question of whether this is finally the year.
- The second-chance debate. Expect the annual argument about whether the top two deserve two lives while the Eliminator teams get none. It is great for the league’s drama, harsh on whoever finishes third.
- Travel and venues. Dharamshala’s altitude and the New Chandigarh surface play very differently from Ahmedabad’s big final stage, so form in one venue does not necessarily carry to the next.
How to watch
Broadcast and streaming rights vary by country, so the simplest path is to check your local listings for the official IPL broadcaster in your region. In India the matches are carried across the main IPL television and streaming partners; international viewers will find the games on the designated rights-holder for their market. All four playoff games start in the evening India time, which means afternoon or early-morning slots across Europe and the Americas respectively.
For live scores, ball-by-ball updates and the up-to-the-minute points table as the bracket resolves, follow live cricket scores and schedules on Scorelisto.
FAQ
When is the IPL 2026 final? Sunday, May 31, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — the fourth time the venue has hosted the title match.
Which teams have qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs? RCB, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad are confirmed, with the fourth spot contested by Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals in the final league games.
Why do the top two teams get an advantage? The top two meet in Qualifier 1, and the loser still drops into Qualifier 2 for a second route to the final. Teams finishing third and fourth get only the single-elimination Eliminator.
Where are the playoff games being played? Qualifier 1 is in Dharamshala, the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 are in New Chandigarh, and the final is in Ahmedabad.
What happens if a knockout game is washed out? The IPL typically uses reserve provisions and tie-break rules favouring the higher-placed league team, so finishing higher matters even beyond the bracket itself.