Will IPL 2027 Have 12 Teams? Shocking Truth Behind the 94-Match Plan
Will IPL 2027 have 12 teams? A viral social media claim has been going around saying the BCCI is about to add two new franchises, but the league’s own chairman has already answered this directly, and it isn’t what that post says. Here’s the real 2027 auction timeline, what a separate 94-match proposal for 2028 actually involves, and honest answers on CSK, RCB, and Punjab Kings while we’re at it.
Key Takeaways:
- Will IPL 2027 have 12 teams is a no: the league stays at 10 teams, and IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has said on record that expansion isn’t happening in the short term.
- The viral “12 teams” claim traces back to an uncorroborated social media post, not any BCCI announcement.
- A separate proposal to expand IPL 2028 to 94 matches is real but still under discussion, and it would keep the same 10 teams.
- CSK finished 8th of 10 teams in IPL 2026, missing the playoffs, while RCB won back-to-back titles.
- Punjab Kings were mathematically eliminated on May 24, 2026, finishing 5th after a stretch of 6 straight losses.
Will IPL 2027 Have 12 Teams?
No. IPL 2027 is set to have the same 10 teams as the current season, and IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has directly denied any near-term expansion plan.
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal put it plainly:
"Ten is a good number for now. I don't see any scope [for franchise expansion] in the short term."
The claim that the BCCI is adding two new franchises to reach 12 teams traces back to an uncorroborated social media post, not a BCCI statement, official filing, or bid document, and no major cricket outlet has independently confirmed it. What is actually happening is more modest: IPL 2027 is expected to hold a mini-auction, not a mega-auction, in December 2026, reportedly returning to India after three straight overseas editions in Dubai, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi. The exact date and venue haven’t been confirmed by the BCCI as of this writing.
If a genuine expansion round does eventually happen, it would likely resemble the 2021 bid process that added Lucknow and Ahmedabad for the 2022 season, but there’s currently no active sale process, no invited bids, and no city shortlist for any 11th or 12th team. For more on how that mini-auction is shaping up, CricTracker’s reporting on the IPL 2027 auction covers the venue speculation in more depth.
Will CSK Win the 2027 IPL?
Nobody can honestly answer that six months out, but CSK’s real current form makes them a long shot on paper rather than a favorite. Royal Challengers Bengaluru won IPL 2026, beating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final on May 31, 2026, becoming only the third franchise ever to defend an IPL title, while CSK finished 8th of 10 teams and missed the playoffs entirely.
CSK head into the 2027 conversation with real uncertainty at the top: MS Dhoni did not play a single match in IPL 2026, the first season since the league’s 2008 debut without him on the field, though he hasn’t announced retirement and reports point toward a possible mentor or coaching role instead. Long-time head coach Stephen Fleming also parted ways with the franchise to take England’s Test coaching job, and as of this writing CSK haven’t announced his replacement, with Albie Morkel and Mike Hussey reported as frontrunners.
On the roster side, CSK traded Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson, who repaid that bet by becoming their top run-scorer in 2026. Early prediction pieces for the 2027 season name RCB, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Titans as favorites, and none of the ones we found list CSK among the frontrunners, which tracks with a bottom-half finish and an unsettled coaching staff heading into a new season.
Will IPL 2028 Have 94 Matches?
Yes, this is a real proposal under active discussion, but it’s for the 2028 season specifically, not 2027, and it has nothing to do with adding more teams. ESPNcricinfo’s reporting directly quotes Dhumal describing the plan with the same 10 existing franchises, not any new ones.
The 94-match figure comes from a scheduling change rather than expansion: right now, with 10 teams, every franchise plays only 14 of a possible 18 matches, since some rivals meet twice and others just once to manage travel. Moving to a full home-and-away double round robin, where every team plays every other team twice, would produce 90 league matches plus 4 playoff games, for a total of 94. Dhumal has said the league needs a bigger broadcast window to fit that schedule, something tied to the next media rights cycle starting in 2028 rather than anything happening next year. IPL 2026 itself actually stayed at 74 matches after the Governing Council considered and rejected an 84-match format for that season.
Is RCB Richer Than CSK?
Yes, by every current metric available. Industry brand-value trackers put RCB at roughly $269 million in early 2026, ahead of CSK’s $235 million, with RCB’s back-to-back 2025 and 2026 titles cited as the main driver of that jump.
| Team | Brand Value (2026) |
|---|---|
| RCB | $269 million |
| Mumbai Indians | $242 million |
| CSK | $235 million |
| KKR | $222 million |
Separately, and worth not confusing with the brand-value figures above, RCB’s actual deal-based valuation hit $1.78 billion in March 2026 after a consortium including the Aditya Birla Group and Blackstone invested in the franchise, reportedly the highest valuation any IPL team has ever received. Brand value and deal valuation are measured completely differently, one is a marketing metric and the other reflects a real transaction price, so both being higher for RCB right now still tells the same underlying story: on paper, RCB has pulled ahead of CSK financially since winning the title.
If you’re tracking other major stories from this week, our coverage of what the new UPI rules actually are for 2026 is a completely different kind of financial update worth a look.
Can CSK Still Qualify?
No, this one’s already settled: IPL 2026 ended in May, and CSK finished 8th of 10 teams with 12 points from a 6-8 record, missing the playoffs by a wide margin rather than falling just short.
The four teams that did qualify were RCB (1st, eventual champions), Gujarat Titans (2nd, runners-up), Sunrisers Hyderabad (3rd), and Rajasthan Royals (4th). For more cricket and sports coverage generally, our recent piece on Neeraj Chopra’s Lausanne Diamond League throw is also worth checking out.
What Is CSK’s Biggest Win?
CSK’s biggest win by runs came very recently: a 103-run demolition of Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on April 24, 2026, breaking their own previous franchise record.
| Record Type | Margin | Opponent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biggest win by runs | 103 runs | Mumbai Indians (2026) | CSK 207/6, MI bowled out for 104; Sanju Samson 101* off 54 |
| Previous best by runs | 97 runs | Kings XI Punjab (2015) | Superseded by the 2026 result |
| Biggest win by wickets | 10 wickets | Kings XI Punjab (2013, 2020) | Achieved twice, both away from home |
Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 101 off just 54 balls, with 10 fours and 6 sixes, anchored that record-breaking innings, while Akeal Hosein’s 4/17 shut down Mumbai Indians’ reply, in what outlets described as MI’s heaviest defeat in IPL history as well.
Is Punjab Kings Eliminated?
Yes, Punjab Kings were mathematically eliminated from IPL 2026 on May 24, 2026, after collapsing from one of the tournament’s best early records into missing the playoffs entirely.
They started the season 6 wins from their first 7 matches, giving them a modeled playoff probability of roughly 97% at one point, then lost 6 matches in a row down the stretch, a run outlets described as a “generational choke.” ESPNcricinfo’s report on the elimination confirms Rajasthan Royals’ win over Mumbai Indians on that date took the final playoff spot, knocking out both Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in the same moment. Punjab Kings finished 5th with 15 points, one point behind Rajasthan Royals’ 16.
The contrast is stark: Punjab Kings were IPL 2025’s runners-up, losing that final to RCB, and a year later missed the playoffs completely, without ever reaching the 2026 final. In other recent technology news, our coverage of Marvel Wolverine PS5 looked at a completely different kind of leaked-numbers story this week, this one about a video game’s sales target rather than a cricket points table.
For more cricket and sports coverage, check out our Sports section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will IPL 2027 have 12 teams?
No. IPL 2027 will have the same 10 teams as the current season, and IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has directly denied any near-term expansion plan.
Will CSK win the 2027 IPL?
Nobody can know that yet, but CSK finished 8th in IPL 2026 with an unsettled coaching staff, making them a long shot on paper rather than an early favorite.
Will IPL 2028 have 94 matches?
It’s a real, actively discussed proposal for 2028, tied to a full home-and-away schedule with the same 10 teams, but it isn’t confirmed yet.
Is RCB richer than CSK?
Yes. RCB’s brand value ($269 million) and its $1.78 billion March 2026 investment valuation both currently sit ahead of CSK.
Can CSK still qualify?
No, this is already decided: CSK finished 8th of 10 teams in IPL 2026 and missed the playoffs.
What is CSK’s biggest win?
A 103-run win over Mumbai Indians on April 24, 2026, powered by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 101.
Is Punjab Kings eliminated?
Yes, eliminated on May 24, 2026, after leading the table early in the season before losing 6 matches in a row.