IPL 2028 Expansion: Longer Season, More Matches: The Biggest Change in IPL History

94 Matches. Same 10 Teams. A Whole New Game.

After 18 years, the IPL still has ways to grow. IPL Chief Arun Dhumal just outed some big news. From 2028, the league is getting a major overhaul, an IPL 2028 Expansion. We are talking 20 extra matches, a full home and away series and a time frame that is finally giving T20 cricket the world’s biggest league deserves.

Playcric shows what is about to change and how it might look.

So What Is IPL 2028 Expansion Actually Changing?

Let’s be honest, the current format of the IPL, it has always seemed like something is amiss. You have 74 matches in a season, a team has 14 games, and you will “see” some teams twice and others just once when the whole tournament.

From 2028, that changes. The talk of the IPL 2028 expansion introduces a proper home and away system.

Here is what shifts:

• Matches go up from 74 to 94
• Every team plays 18 games in the league stage
• All 10 teams face each other home and away
• The current uneven group system gets scrapped
• No new franchises: the 10-team setup stays as is

Why Can’t IPL 2028 Expansion Happen Right Now?

Fair question. The answer comes down to two things that are completely out of the BCCI’s hands right now.

The first is the media rights deal. The ongoing broadcasting and streaming agreement is for the period of 2022 through 2027. The new rights contract, which expires for sale prior to the 2028 season, provides the opportunity for new terms and a larger window.

The second blocker is the ICC Future Tours Programme. International bilateral obligations are in for the duration of 2027 March. There is no time left between that and the next 20 matches of IPL. Dhumal said it plainly; once the bilateral cycle resets, the BCCI will push hard for the bigger window. Get that window, and 94 games become a reality.

No New Teams. That’s Final

A lot of people assumed expansion meant more franchises. It does not. Dhumal shut that down quickly. Ten teams, full stop.

And honestly, it makes sense. Adding two new franchises creates a whole set of problems, squad depth, scheduling, broadcast splits. Keeping 10 teams and simply adding more games between them is a much cleaner move. Every matchup gets played twice, the format becomes fairer, and the quality of cricket stays high.

The current group system, where teams are divided into pairs and play some opponents more than others, gets thrown out completely. What replaces it is straightforward: you play everyone, home and away. Simple.

2028 Is a Reset Year for the IPL Commercially

The IPL 2028 expansion is not just a cricket story. It is a business story.

The current media rights deal is already one of the priciest in world sport. The next auction, ahead of 2028, is going to go even higher. More matches mean more airtime, more ad inventory, more streaming minutes. Broadcasters know this. The bids will reflect it.

For fans on Playcric, a longer season means the live score grind runs deeper into the year. More matches to follow, more stats to dig into, more moments to catch ball by ball.

RCB and RR Just Sold for Billions. Here’s What That Tells

As Dhumal discussed the IPL 2028 expansion plans, he was also queried on the big names RCB and RR. Both franchises were valued at a billion dollars.

His take? The IPL is India’s biggest homegrown brand since independence. Not just in cricket; in anything. Those valuations are not a surprise to him.

The BCCI will thoroughly review each document before approving the deals. Due diligence first, celebrations later.

What Does All This Actually Mean For You

If you are a fan: More cricket. Better rivalries. Every team at your city’s ground at least once. And if you follow on Playcric, you are going to have 94 matches worth of live action to obsess over.

If you support a franchise: More home games means fuller stadiums and stronger revenue. But squads will need more depth. Eighteen league games is a long run.

For a player: Managing your body across a longer IPL window while keeping up with international duties is going to be the real challenge. Expect teams to rotate more and carry bigger squads.

2028 Cannot Come Soon Enough

Eighteen seasons later, and the IPL remains to be developed. It’s a fact that this league is for the long run, and it’s just beginning. Ninety-four matches. A fairer format. The biggest media rights auction in cricket history on the horizon. And every team, every rivalry, playing out the way it always should have; home and away.

Get Playcric ready. You are going to need it more than ever.

FAQs

1. Does this mean the IPL and international cricket will have more clashes if the matches extend?

Possibly, yes. A longer IPL window will eat into the international calendar even more than it already does.

2. Will ticket prices go up with more home games per team?

 No official word yet. But more home games per team could actually work in fans’ favour: more supply usually keeps prices from going through the roof. 

3. What is the significance of 2028 for the IPL apart from more matches? 

Three things meet in 2028 – a new media rights cycle, a new ICC bilateral rights schedule and the first season after a mega auction.

4. Is Playcric a good way to keep up with all 94 matches? 

If you want live scores and match stats without having to sit in front of a screen all day, the platform does the job well. With 94 games in a season, having it on your phone is basically non-negotiable.