Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets at Ahmedabad on 31 May 2026. RCB finished on 161/5 against Gujarat's 155/8, completing the chase with 12 balls remaining at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The final brought together the first two teams in the league table, but their route was not identical. RCB won Qualifier 1; Gujarat recovered through Qualifier 2. This archive separates that knockout outcome from the league standings and the full list of match results.
The four matches that settled the title
RCB secured their final place on 26 May 2026 with a 92-run win over Gujarat at Dharamsala. Their 254/5 was followed by Gujarat's 162. Losing that match did not eliminate Gujarat: the Qualifier 1 loser still had a place in Qualifier 2.
Rajasthan Royals reached that second qualifier by beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs on 27 May 2026. Rajasthan made 243/8 and Hyderabad finished on 196 at New Chandigarh. The Eliminator ended Hyderabad's campaign, despite their third-place league finish.
Gujarat then beat Rajasthan by seven wickets on 29 May 2026. Gujarat's 219/3 against Rajasthan's 214/6 sent them back into a final against RCB. The deciding match on 31 May produced a different scale of chase from RCB's Qualifier 1 total: Gujarat made 155/8, and RCB reached 161/5.
The complete IPL 2026 results retain the league fixtures as well as these four playoff matches. Each outcome belongs to its own match; a league position is not used as a substitute for a knockout result.
Three teams on 18 points
RCB, Gujarat and Hyderabad each completed the league stage with nine wins, five losses and 18 points. Their listed net run rates were +0.783, +0.695 and +0.524. With wins also equal, that ordering placed RCB first, Gujarat second and Hyderabad third.
Rajasthan finished fourth with eight wins and 16 points. Punjab Kings followed with 15 points from seven wins and one no-result fixture. The one-point gap at that boundary is a different question from who later won the title.
The final points table preserves all ten teams in league-stage order. Playoff wins are recorded in the results archive and are not added to those league points. RCB's final win therefore does not turn their league total into 20 points.
The no-result fixture stays in the record
Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings had no result on 6 April 2026. Kolkata had reached 25/2; Punjab had not batted. The results archive retains the fixture and its actual status instead of inventing a Punjab score or removing the row.
Across the completed season, the archive contains 70 league fixtures and four playoff fixtures. One of those league fixtures had no result. A completed archive can include a match without a winner; that does not make the tournament unfinished.
Use the right season when planning a viewing route
These pages describe IPL 2026. Their venues, results and table do not establish IPL 2027 fixtures, squads, prices or video rights. The current IPL viewing guide keeps country access and the period supported by each source separate.
Cricket Matches does not provide match video. An archive result is a record of what happened, not a promise that a replay is available or that a betting registration unlocks it.
FAQ
Did finishing first decide the IPL 2026 champion?
No. RCB finished first in the league table and won the final, but those were separate outcomes. Gujarat also reached the final after losing Qualifier 1 and winning Qualifier 2.
Why does the archive contain a fixture without a winner?
KKR against Punjab Kings on 6 April 2026 ended with no result. The original fixture remains part of the season record.
Can the 2026 table be used as the 2027 table?
No. The archived positions belong to the completed 2026 league stage. The next season requires its own verified standings.
IPL/BCCI final report, league standings and playoff announcement; API Cricket historical results.