Eden Gardens, the iconic home ground of Kolkata Knight Riders, will host both the opening match and final of IPL 2025. The tournament opener will take place on March 22, with KKR facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The final will take place on May 25, and Eden Gardens will also host Qualifier 2 on May 23. This will be the first IPL final in Kolkata in a decade, with the venue previously hosting title matches in 2013 and 2015.
Hyderabad will host the other two playoff matches: Qualifier 1 on May 20 and the Eliminator on May 21. The city is home to the 2024 runners-up, Sunrisers Hyderabad. IPL 2025 will feature 74 matches over 65 days, including 12 double-headers. The tournament’s first Sunday, March 23, will feature two exciting games: SRH will host Rajasthan Royals, followed by the high-profile clash between five-time champions Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Teams such as Royals, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Gujarat Titans will play three afternoon matches, while the other teams will have two. The schedule includes 13 venues, including Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Dharamsala, where Punjab will play three back-to-back home matches.
The IPL 2025 format will have teams split into two groups. Teams will play against others in their group twice and teams in the opposite group once, with seeding determining the matchups. CSK and Mumbai, despite being in separate groups, will face off twice, with their second encounter on April 20. Teams like RCB, Mumbai, Punjab, and LSG will begin their campaigns away before hosting their first home matches in April.
