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With the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the horizon, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has laid down some dos and don’ts for all ten teams competing in the tournament. With the stakes high for the ten-team competition due to the fans and money involved, it will be non-negotiable for teams to follow the rules to enable the successful completion of the tournament. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be the defending champions, having clinched their first trophy last year.

Here are the do’s and don’ts ahead of IPL 2026

The Times of India have accessed the guidelines ahead of IPL 2026 as below are some of them ahead of the 19th edition of IPL

1) No open nets will be allowed for teams.

2) During match days, no fitness tests will be permitted on the main square.

3) On practice days, players must necessarily travel through the team bus but members may be split in batches. Families and friends are to travel in a separate vehicle and will not be allowed. Family and friends can only watch from the hospitality area. Additionally, only accredited-staff is allowed in the dressing room and on the field of play in case of pre-tournament and tournament phases.

4) If one team finishes their practice early, the other team is not allowed to use the same pitches for practice.

Match day rules for IPL 2026 include the below

1) Players are prohibited not to hit balls onto LED boards despite the provision to hit nets.

2) Players and support staff are barred from sitting in front of LED boards. Designated seating areas will be marked with towels and bottles.

3) Players are mandated to wear the Orange and purple cap. Players are requested to wear them for at least 1-2 overs for visibility or for broadcasters to capture them.

4) Players are not allowed to wear sleeveless jerseys and slippers during post-game presentations. First violation comes with a warning but breaching for the second time will be met with a penalty.

How rules will impact the players in IPL 2026?

During the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2026, there were various videos circulating of Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the airport with his girlfriend Mahieka Pandya. Hence, the Mumbai Indians skipper can no longer be allowed that liberty and must travel with the players.

IPL 2026 kicks off on March 28 with reigning champions RCB facing the SunRisers Hyderabad at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.