How many teams play in the IPL?

10 franchises play in the IPL: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.

How many matches are in an IPL season?

74 matches: 70 in the league stage plus 4 in the playoffs (Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the Final).

How does the IPL playoff work?

The top 4 teams qualify. Teams 1 and 2 play Qualifier 1 — the winner goes straight to the Final. Teams 3 and 4 play the Eliminator — the loser is out. The Eliminator winner then plays the Qualifier 1 loser in Qualifier 2 for the second Final spot.

Why do the top 2 teams get two chances?

The Qualifier 1 / Qualifier 2 system rewards league-stage performance. Teams that finish 1st or 2nd get a second chance to reach the Final even if they lose their first playoff.

Guide

IPL Format Explained — 10 Teams, Playoffs & Final

The Indian Premier League format: 10 franchises, 74 matches, a double round-robin group stage and a 4-team playoff with Qualifiers and Eliminator leading to the Final.

Updated June 20, 2026

10 teams, 74 matches

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a Twenty20 franchise tournament played every March–May. Ten city-based franchises play a total of 74 matches across roughly eight weeks — 70 league matches plus four playoff matches.

League stage: modified double round-robin

Each team plays 14 league matches. Because a full home-and-away double round-robin would need 18 matches, the schedule is trimmed: every team plays some opponents twice and others once. That gives 70 group-stage matches in total, with the top 4 on the points table advancing to the playoffs.

Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, Final

Qualifier 1: 1st vs 2nd. Winner → Final. Loser gets a second chance in Qualifier 2.
Eliminator: 3rd vs 4th. Loser is out. Winner advances to Qualifier 2.
Qualifier 2: Qualifier 1 loser vs Eliminator winner. Winner → Final.
Final: Qualifier 1 winner vs Qualifier 2 winner. Winner is IPL champion.

Why the top 2 get a second chance

The playoff design intentionally rewards teams that top the league. Finishing 1st or 2nd earns you two chances to reach the Final, while 3rd and 4th are on sudden-death from the Eliminator onwards. It keeps the league stage meaningful right until the last round.

Orange Cap and Purple Cap

Individual honours are tracked live all season: the Orange Cap goes to the top run-scorer, and the Purple Cap to the top wicket-taker. The current cap-holder wears the coloured cap while batting or bowling.

Frequently asked questions

How many teams play in the IPL?: 10 franchises play in the IPL: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.
How many matches are in an IPL season?: 74 matches: 70 in the league stage plus 4 in the playoffs (Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the Final).
How does the IPL playoff work?: The top 4 teams qualify. Teams 1 and 2 play Qualifier 1 — the winner goes straight to the Final. Teams 3 and 4 play the Eliminator — the loser is out. The Eliminator winner then plays the Qualifier 1 loser in Qualifier 2 for the second Final spot.
Why do the top 2 teams get two chances?: The Qualifier 1 / Qualifier 2 system rewards league-stage performance. Teams that finish 1st or 2nd get a second chance to reach the Final even if they lose their first playoff.