The Indian Premier League (IPL) continues to grow in scale and excitement each year, with cricket fans around the world eagerly awaiting the start of the 2025 season—the 18th edition of the tournament. The action begins on Saturday, March 22, as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the iconic Eden Gardens.

Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has transformed cricket, inspiring numerous other T20 leagues across the globe. Despite this expansion, the IPL remains the biggest and most prestigious T20 franchise tournament, boasting a brand value of $12 billion. The tournament’s immense popularity was evident last year, with over 3 million spectators attending matches—an average of 40,000 fans per game across 74 fixtures.

IPL 2025: Schedule and Venues

This year’s IPL will feature 70 league matches followed by four playoff games, culminating in the grand Final on Sunday, May 25.

Matches will take place across 13 venues in India, with teams playing in their home cities—though some franchises may split their home games between multiple locations. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat, with a record-breaking capacity of 132,000, remains the largest venue of the tournament.

Cricket’s biggest names will once again showcase their talent in IPL 2025. The Mega Auction, held on November 24-25, 2024, saw the record for the most expensive player broken twice:

• Shreyas Iyer (last year’s KKR-winning captain) was snapped up by Punjab for ₹26.75 crore (US$3.1 million).
• Rishabh Pant was later bought by Lucknow for ₹27 crore (US$3.1 million).
• England’s Jos Buttler became the highest-paid overseas player, fetching ₹15 crore (US$1.8 million).

Cricketing legends MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli—though retired from international T20s—will continue to feature in this season’s IPL, much to the delight of fans.

Among the most talked-about signings was 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who made headlines with a 58-ball century for India U-19. A fierce bidding war between Rajasthan and Delhi ended with Rahul Dravid’s Royals securing his signature.

United Kingdom
Fans in the UK can watch all 74 IPL matches live on Sky Sports, with streaming available via NOW and the Sky Sports app.

United States & Worldwide
For cricket lovers in the U.S., Willow TV remains the official broadcaster, offering live matches, highlights, and expert analysis. A monthly subscription costs $9.99, while an annual plan is priced at $79.99.

Streaming options include:

• Sling TV – Offers Willow TV as part of its Sling Orange World Sports package ($55.99/month).
• Fubo TV – Includes Willow TV in its Pro International Sports Plus package ($101.99/month), providing access to 200+ channels, including NFL, NBA, MLB, and global football leagues.

Other Regions

• South Africa – SuperSport
• Australia – Foxtel, Kayo Sports, YuppTV
• Canada – Willow TV, YuppTV
• Caribbean & Latin America – Flow Sports, YuppTV
• France – YuppTV
• India – JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar
• Middle East – Noon

With world-class cricket, record-breaking signings, and millions of passionate fans, IPL 2025 is set to be another thrilling edition of the tournament.