BCCI Considering Expansion of IPL to 94 Matches from 2028, No New Franchises Planned

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is actively exploring the possibility of expanding the Indian Premier League (IPL) to a 94-match format starting from the 2028 season, aligning with the next media rights cycle. However, there are no immediate plans to increase the number of franchises beyond the current ten.

The IPL currently features 74 matches, a format adopted in 2022 following the addition of two new teams — Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. Although there were initial plans to expand to 84 matches by 2025, those have been postponed due to scheduling constraints and concerns from broadcasters over audience fatigue and the increasing number of double-headers.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed that discussions are underway both within the BCCI and at the ICC level regarding an eventual full home-and-away format. Such a structure would necessitate a 94-match season, allowing each team to play all others both home and away.

“Ideally, we’d want a larger window… So that every team gets to play against every team home and away,” Dhumal said. “Given the commitments to bilateral cricket and ICC events, it may not be possible in the short term. But we’ll look into it when the timing is right.”

The IPL’s current international window — from mid-March to the end of May — is locked in under the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) for the next two years. A longer season would likely require an extension of this window, something that will be discussed during FTP negotiations next year.

While franchise officials have expressed a preference for a 94-match format, the feasibility of expansion hinges on broadcaster support. Currently, viewership tends to decline mid-season, a trend broadcasters attribute to viewer fatigue. The 2025 edition is scheduled to last nine weeks with 12 double-headers, and any further expansion would likely require two additional weeks in the calendar.

Despite growing investor interest, Dhumal ruled out adding more franchises in the short term. “Ten is a good number for now,” he said, emphasizing the need to maintain tournament quality.

Looking at IPL 2025, Dhumal praised the competitiveness of the season and the emergence of young Indian talent. He expressed hope that a new champion might emerge this year, with Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants — none of whom have won the IPL title — all in contention for the playoffs.

“Definitely, I would want somebody who has never won the tournament to lift the trophy this year,” he added. “If some of these teams compete in the final, we’ll know for sure we’ll have a new winner — that would be very special.”

As the IPL continues to grow in fan engagement and broadcasting reach, the league’s long-term vision appears focused on sustainable expansion, preserving competition quality, and increasing stakeholder value.

BCCI Considering Expansion of IPL to 94 Matches from 2028, No New Franchises Planned

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