IPL matches to be increased to 94 from 2028:Each team to play 18 games in home and away format

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing for a major transformation of the Indian Premier League in the next media rights cycle. According to IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, the league is planning to increase the number of matches from 74 to 94 per season starting from 2028. The proposed expansion aims to remove the current ‘virtual group’ system and bring back a complete home-and-away format. Under the new structure, every team would play each other twice, once at home and once away, similar to the traditional league system used during the IPL’s earlier eight-team era. Despite the increase in matches, the BCCI has made it clear that there are no plans to add more franchises. The league will continue with 10 teams, with the focus remaining on maintaining quality cricket and balanced competition. BCCI wants full home-and-away format At present, the IPL follows a complicated group-based format because of the increase from eight to ten teams. Not every team gets to play all opponents twice, which has often confused fans and affected the tournament’s flow. The proposed 94-match structure would change that completely. Every team would face all nine opponents twice, creating a proper round-robin league system. “With the given set of teams, only we can go for more number of matches,” Dhumal said, reiterating the point he made last year. “So it doesn’t make sense as of now to increase the number of teams. Because if we have to have an equal number of home and away matches, from 74 we can go up to 94. That would be the ideal situation,” he concluded. Bigger IPL window needed for 94-match season One of the biggest challenges for the BCCI is finding enough space in the international cricket calendar. The current bilateral schedule under the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) is already fixed until 2027. At present, the IPL operates within a 60-to-65-day window, which is not enough to host 94 matches comfortably without adding too many double-headers. Broadcasters reportedly dislike multiple double-headers because they split television audiences and reduce advertising revenue. “Since the bilaterals are locked in till 2027, we would need a bigger window to raise the number of games from 74 to 94,” Dhumal explained. “So we are looking for a bigger window post-2027 bilateral cycle. In case we can get that, we will definitely try to have 94 games.” The BCCI is expected to push for a dedicated two-and-a-half-month IPL window in the next ICC cycle, which could pause most international cricket during the tournament. BCCI aim to improve the fan experience The planned changes are also linked to viewership trends. According to reports, IPL broadcasters have noticed a drop in audience numbers during the middle stages of the tournament under the current format. The virtual group system and complicated points table have reportedly created confusion among fans. By moving to a single league table, similar to football leagues around the world, the BCCI hopes to make the tournament easier to follow and more exciting throughout the season. Every match would carry equal importance in the standings, which could improve fan engagement and increase broadcaster value. No plans for more teams next season Although many fans have speculated about the possibility of 12 IPL teams in the future, the BCCI currently has no plans to expand beyond 10 franchises. Adding more teams would require an even longer tournament window and could also stretch India’s domestic talent pool further. The board believes maintaining 10 strong teams is currently the best option for preserving the quality of the league.