Key facts
- BCCI considering starting IPL 2027 in early March
- Current IPL window runs roughly late March to late May
- Move driven by concerns over extreme summer heat at venues
India Today reports that the BCCI is seriously considering moving the start of IPL 2027 to early March, a shift of roughly two to three weeks from the league's conventional late-March or early-April opening. The primary motivation is the worsening summer heat at Indian venues, which has raised player welfare concerns and made afternoon matches increasingly uncomfortable for stadium-going fans in recent seasons.
The IPL typically runs from late March through late May, placing much of the tournament in India's hottest months. By front-loading the schedule into early March, the BCCI hopes to complete more matches before temperatures peak, potentially easing conditions at venues in cities like Delhi, Kolkata, and Rajasthan where mid-summer heat can be brutal.
For the everyday Indian fan, a shift to early March would mean the IPL calendar overlaps more with the tail end of the school academic year and Holi festivities, requiring adjustments in planning. It also signals that climate change is now directly reshaping how India's most-watched sporting event is organised.