Tue Dec 16 10:30:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

IPL 2026 Dates Revealed: Season to Run from March 26th to May 31st; Venue Uncertainty Looms

Abu Dhabi: The highly anticipated dates for the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have been announced. The 19th edition of the T20 tournament will be held from March 26th to May 31st, 2026, a decision reached during a meeting between franchise representatives and IPL officials in Abu Dhabi.

The confirmation of the dates allows teams to finalize their strategies for the upcoming season. However, uncertainty surrounds the venue for the opening match. Traditionally, the defending champion hosts the first game, which should give the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), winners of IPL 2025, the chance to host the opening match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

However, a major obstacle exists: the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has only received conditional approval from the state government to host IPL matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium. This follows a tragic stampede during RCB’s IPL title celebration on June 4th, which resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. The state government has since been hesitant to grant permission for large cricket matches at the venue, even forcing the BCCI to move Women’s World Cup matches away from Bengaluru.

Despite these concerns, BCCI officials remain optimistic about Chinnaswamy Stadium hosting the opening match. Karnataka’s Deputy CM, DK Shivakumar, has also publicly stated that the government is positively inclined towards hosting IPL matches.

Meanwhile, the IPL 2026 auction takes place today in Abu Dhabi. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head into the auction with the most funds available. A total of 77 slots are available across the ten franchises, with 31 spots reserved for overseas players. 359 players have been shortlisted from an initial list of 1,355, including 244 Indians and 115 international players. Big names like Cameron Green, Liam Livingstone, and Ravi Bishnoi are expected to attract significant attention.

The auction is being held in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, marking the third consecutive year the event has been held outside of India, following previous editions in Dubai and Jeddah.

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