New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to return to a full home-and-away format as the number of matches will be increased from 74 to 94.
The expansion of the tournament depends on the availability of a bigger window. The move to expand the IPL is aimed at beginning in 2028.
Speaking to India Today, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal has clarified that the number of matches will increase, but the franchises will remain 10. The proposed move to increase the matches is designed to ensure every franchise plays each other twice in the season.
Speaking on the league’s future trajectory, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal clarified that while the volume of cricket will increase, the number of franchises will remain capped at 10. This format started from the inaugural season, but was compromised after the reintroduction of two new teams in 2022.
“With the given set of teams, only we can go for more number of matches. 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,” Dhumal said as quoted by India Today.
‘We need a bigger window to raise the number of games’
The biggest hurdle for an immediate rollout is the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP). The current bilateral calendar is packed until 2027, which leaves BCCI with 60 to 65 days that won’t be enough to accommodate a 94-match schedule.
“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,” he added.
The BCCI is likely to ask for a two-and-a-half-month window in the next ICC cycle to allow IPL to have 94 matches in one season. Despite the increase in matches, Dhumal insisted on maintaining 10 franchises to protect the product’s quality.
