🏏 The IPL 2026 playoffs run May 26 to May 31
The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League wraps up across four playoff matches between Tuesday 26 May and Sunday 31 May 2026. The Final lands at the 132,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday 31 May at 7:30 PM IST.
Qualifier 1 opens the knockouts at HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. The Eliminator and Qualifier 2 move to the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh (Mullanpur).
JioHotstar is the only digital home for IPL 2026 in India. Star Sports carries every match on TV across eight languages. Outside India, the rights split across Sky Sports (UK), Willow TV (US and Canada), Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports (Australia), Cricbuzz (UAE and most of MENA, free), Kantipur Max (Nepal), StarHub (Singapore), and YuppTV in 70+ smaller markets.
Your fastest free route is Willow Sports' free Sunday window in the US. The IPL 2026 Final is on a Sunday, which Willow Sports broadcasts free over the air on selected US digital platforms. Pair that with a US server through VPN Super if you're outside the United States. If you've used our Champions League final guide for May/June streaming, the same VPN-to-US trick works here.
IPL 2026 playoffs schedule and venues
The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed the playoff schedule on 6 May 2026. Three venues will host the four matches — the first time a single IPL season has split the knockouts across three cities.
Playoff fixtures
- Qualifier 1 — Tuesday 26 May, 7:30 PM IST. HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala. First versus second place. Winner goes directly to the Final.
- Eliminator — Wednesday 27 May, 7:30 PM IST. New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh. Third versus fourth place.
- Qualifier 2 — Friday 29 May, 7:30 PM IST. New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh. Loser of Qualifier 1 against winner of the Eliminator.
- Final — Sunday 31 May, 7:30 PM IST. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The Final has now been hosted here in four of the last five seasons.
Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was originally scheduled to host the Final but was reassigned by BCCI on 6 May.
How to watch IPL 2026 in India — JioHotstar and Star Sports
The free streaming model is gone. JioHotstar — formed by the JioCinema-Disney+ Hotstar merger in early 2026 — is the only digital partner, and a paid subscription is required to watch a full match. The freemium preview only covers the first few minutes of any live match.
The cheapest path is a telecom bundle. As of April 2026, a Vi ₹44 recharge includes a 28-day JioHotstar subscription. The more popular Jio ₹349 plan bundles three months of JioHotstar access — covering the full IPL 2026 season — with 2GB/day of 4G data and unlimited 5G.
Star Sports Network carries every match on TV across Star Sports 1 (English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) and Star Sports Select HD, plus Bengali and Haryanvi commentary feeds. Star Utsav Movies on DD Free Dish carries a limited number of IPL matches each season at no charge — the only fully free TV route inside India.
How to watch IPL 2026 in the USA — Willow TV
Willow TV is the exclusive US broadcaster for IPL 2026 and the season Final on 31 May. The Final tips off at 10:00 AM ET on Sunday 31 May. Qualifier 1 (Tuesday 26 May), the Eliminator (Wednesday 27), and Qualifier 2 (Friday 29) all kick off at 10:00 AM ET.
US streaming options
- Willow Sports free Sunday window: Sunday-slot IPL matches air free across selected US digital platforms. The 31 May Final is a Sunday.
- Willow TV direct: Available via cable or satellite providers.
- Fubo: Willow TV on the Sports Plus add-on, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers.
- Sling TV: Willow HD on the Desi TV Mini bundle.
- YouTube TV: Willow TV via the Sports Plus tier.
- Prime Video Channels: Willow TV add-on.
The cleanest fully-free route is the Willow Sunday window on Final day. Stack it with a Fubo 7-day free trial — start the trial Tuesday morning, watch all four playoff games, cancel before day eight.
How to watch IPL 2026 in the UK — Sky Sports Cricket and NOW
Sky Sports holds exclusive UK and Ireland IPL rights through 2027 under a four-year deal signed in 2024. Every match airs live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with select matches in 4K Ultra HD and Dolby Atmos.
If you don't have Sky, the contract-free path is NOW. A NOW Sports Day Membership costs £14.99 and covers a full 24-hour window — long enough to catch the Final from pre-match show through post-match analysis. A Sports Month Membership runs £34.99, which makes more sense for all four playoff games.
Sky Go is included with Sky Sports subscriptions for streaming on mobile, laptop, and tablet. There is no free legal IPL stream in the UK in 2026 — the closest paths are the £14.99 NOW Day pass or a US route via VPN Super to catch Willow's free Sunday window. The Final starts at 3:00 PM BST on Sunday 31 May.
IPL 2026 country-by-country broadcasters
For every country outside India, the US, and the UK, the route falls into one of three buckets — fully free, paid local broadcaster, or VPN-to-rights-holder. Match your location to the right card.
Free or near-free routes (no subscription needed)
- UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain: Cricbuzz streams IPL 2026 free on web, mobile (iOS and Android), and TV apps. Ad-supported, full HD, no subscription. Final at 6:00 PM GST in Dubai, 5:00 PM AST in Riyadh.
- USA: Willow Sports' free Sunday window on the 31 May Final.
- India (TV): Star Utsav Movies on DD Free Dish carries a limited number of matches at no charge.
Paid local broadcasters
- Australia: Fox Cricket on Foxtel, or Kayo Sports streaming (AU$29.99/month Standard with 7-day free trial; AU$45.99/month Premium with regular AU$1 first-month promo on signup before 26 May). Final at midnight AEST 1 June for east-coast viewers.
- Canada: Willow TV via Fubo Canada or cable/satellite bundles. ATN Cricket Plus is the secondary route. The Willow Sunday window may or may not extend to Canadian distribution — check the Willow programming guide on race week.
- Nepal: Kantipur Max HD 1 and HD 2, second consecutive season. Star Sports also available on Subisu, WorldLink/NETTV, and DishHome. YuppTV is the legal streaming alternative. Final at 7:45 PM NPT.
- Singapore: StarHub on Hub Sports 4 (Channel 204), available through Sports+, Sports Group, or Sports Pass. Hub Sports app covers mobile and tablet. Final at 10:00 PM SGT.
- Germany, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, 60+ others: YuppTV is the official streaming option. Final at 4:00 PM CEST (Germany), 10:00 PM MYT (Malaysia), 9:00 PM ICT (Thailand and Vietnam), 11:00 PM JST (Japan).
VPN-routed access (Pakistan and any unlisted country)
- Pakistan: No officially confirmed broadcaster as of mid-May 2026; the 2025 ban appears to continue. Some reports point to Tapmad TV picking up coverage, but nothing has been formally announced. The practical route is a VPN to India (JioHotstar), the US (Willow), or the UK (Sky/NOW). Final at 7:00 PM PKT.
- Any other country without local rights: Connect VPN Super to the US for the Willow Sunday window, the UK for NOW's £14.99 Day Membership, or India for JioHotstar if you have an Indian payment method.
Sky Deutschland does not carry IPL in 2026 — the Sky Sports IPL deal is UK and Ireland only. beIN Sports has carried MENA coverage in past seasons but the 2026 status is unconfirmed; confirm with your local provider.
Device setup: mobile, laptop, PC, and TV
Every IPL 2026 broadcaster supports the major device types. The setup is the same regardless of where you are.
Device-by-device routing
- Mobile: In India, the cheapest route is a Vi ₹44 recharge with 28 days of JioHotstar, or the Jio ₹349 plan for three months. In MENA, Cricbuzz on iOS and Android is free. Outside those regions, VPN Super on the US server lets you stream Willow's Sunday window on the mobile browser or the Willow TV app.
- Laptop and PC: For Windows or Mac, open the broadcaster's website in a current Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari browser — jiostar.com (India), willow.tv (US), Sky Go (UK), or kayosports.com.au (Australia). No desktop app required.
- TV: JioHotstar is available as an app on most Android TVs, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast in India. Willow TV is a regular cable channel in the US and a Roku/Apple TV/Fire TV app. Sky Sports Cricket is a standard Sky channel. Kayo Sports has apps for every major smart TV platform in Australia.
- Replays and ad-free: JioHotstar (India), Willow on-demand (US/Canada), Sky Go (UK), and Kayo Sports (Australia) all hold full replays for 30 days. Ad-free live coverage requires the premium tier on Cricbuzz Plus, JioHotstar Premium, or Kayo Premium — Sky Sports and Willow include ads even on paid tiers.
Step-by-step setup for IPL 2026
- Pick your country route. Match your physical location to one of the broadcaster buckets above. If your country isn't listed, use VPN Super to reach the US (Willow), India (JioHotstar), or UK (Sky/NOW) — whichever subscription you already hold.
- Install VPN Super on every device. Download VPN Super on the phone, laptop, or TV you plan to watch on. The free plan covers all the country servers needed for IPL 2026 routing.
- Connect to the right server. For Willow's Sunday window, connect to a US server. For Sky / NOW, connect to the UK. For Kayo, connect to Australia. For JioHotstar, connect to India.
- Open the broadcaster before kickoff. Load the live broadcast at least 30 minutes before scheduled start. JioHotstar, Willow, Sky Sports, and Kayo all run a pre-match show 30–45 minutes before the first ball.
- Test on Tuesday 26 May, not on Final Sunday. Qualifier 1 is your dress rehearsal. If your setup works for Qualifier 1, it'll work for the Final on 31 May.
Where a VPN won't help
A VPN solves geo-blocking. It doesn't solve everything.
Pakistan distribution rights: If no official Pakistani broadcaster carries the IPL in 2026, no VPN to Pakistan helps. The fix is a VPN to a country that does have the rights — India, the US, or the UK.
Account creation requirements: Some broadcasters (Sky, Kayo, JioHotstar) require a payment method registered in the broadcast country. A VPN doesn't change which credit cards are accepted.
Slow internet: A VPN can't make a slow connection fast. HD cricket streams need 5–10 Mbps minimum; 4K on Sky Sports needs 25+ Mbps.
JioHotstar free preview in India: JioHotstar's free preview is limited to a few minutes per match. A VPN doesn't extend that — you need a paid plan or a telecom bundle.
📱 Recommended setup for IPL 2026
If you're outside the broadcaster countries — or you want the free Sunday route — install VPN Super on every device you plan to watch on. The free plan covers the US, UK, Australia, India, and Germany servers, with unlimited bandwidth for HD cricket.
- Reach Willow's free Sunday window on the 31 May Final from anywhere.
- Switch to a UK server for the £14.99 NOW Day Membership.
- Use the Australia server for the AU$1 first-month Kayo Premium promo.
Frequently asked questions
How can I watch IPL 2026 live for free?
Three legal free routes work in 2026. In the US, Willow Sports broadcasts Sunday IPL matches free on selected digital platforms — the 31 May Final is a Sunday. In MENA (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain), Cricbuzz streams matches free on web, mobile, and TV apps. In India, JioHotstar offers a free preview of the first few minutes of each match — the full game needs a paid plan or a telecom recharge starting at ₹44 on Vi.
How to watch IPL in the UK without Sky?
A NOW Sports Day Membership at £14.99 covers a single match — the Final on Sunday 31 May fits inside one Day pass. A Month Membership at £34.99 covers all four playoff games. The US route via VPN Super to Willow's free Sunday window is the closest path to fully free.
How to watch IPL in Pakistan, Germany, or elsewhere?
Pakistan has no confirmed official broadcaster for IPL 2026 as of May 2026 — the legal workaround is a VPN to India (JioHotstar), the UK (Sky/NOW), or the US (Willow). In Germany and most of Europe without local rights, YuppTV is the official streaming route; connect VPN Super to the US for Willow's Sunday window if you'd rather watch free. VPN Super supports all three routes on the free plan.
Where can I watch the IPL 2026 Final?
The Final is on Sunday 31 May at 7:30 PM IST (10:00 AM ET, 3:00 PM BST, 4:00 PM CEST, 6:00 PM GST in Dubai, 10:00 PM SGT, midnight AEST 1 June) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India: JioHotstar / Star Sports. US: Willow TV (free Sunday window on Willow Sports). UK: Sky Sports Cricket / NOW. Australia: Fox Cricket / Kayo Sports. Internationally: YuppTV in 70+ countries.
Does VPN Super's free plan work for IPL streaming?
Yes. The free plan covers the US, UK, Australia, India, and Germany servers — all the countries you need for legal IPL 2026 broadcasters. Unlimited bandwidth on the free plan handles HD streaming for the four playoff matches without throttling.
