IPL Expansion On The Cards? Chairman Arun Dhumal Confirms Possibility Of 94-Match Tournament In 2028

The popularity of IPL has skyrocketed over the years. IPL 2025 has already been a smashing hit and now it has emerged that the BCCI is planning to expand the cash-rich league to a 94-match tournament from 2028.

IPL To Be Expanded Into 94-match Tournament?

IPL currently has a 74-match format since 2022 after the introduction of two new teams, Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans . The IPL doesn't have any window for more matches for the next two years, as per the Future Tours Programme (FTP). But IPL chairman Arun Dhumal confirmed the cricket board will definitely consider an expansion into a 94-match tournament, a home-away format from the next media-rights cycle, scheduled to start from 2028.

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He told ESPN Cricinfo, “Definitely, that might be an opportunity.

"We've been discussing in ICC, we've been discussing in-house in BCCI. Given how the interest of the fan is changing with regard to bilateral and ICC events, in regard to franchise cricket and T20 cricket, we'll have to talk more seriously about it and see how we can create maximum value for the stakeholders of the game.

“Ideally, we'd want a larger window, or to maybe go on from 74 to 84 or 94 at some point… So that every team gets to play against every team home and away, for that, you need 94 games.”

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IPL Expansion Would Need Approval From Broadcasters

The plan for an 84-match IPL 2025 was shelved by the BCCI, keeping in mind the schedule crunch and workload of the Indian Cricket Team, as per reports. The number of teams will remain the same, and as per ESPN Cricinfo, multiple franchises would prefer to have an expanded IPL season.

The broadcasters will also play a major role, as any expansion plan would have to be approved by the broadcasters. Generally the viewership drops in the middle of IPL and this season will see the IPL being staged over a nine-week period. The proposed expansion would also require additional time, as a home and away format would offer a major schedule cramping.