Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the defending IPL 2026 champions, will face Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, 31 May, with the first ball scheduled at 7:30 pm IST. The summit clash pits the reigning title holders against the 2022 champions in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown at GT's home fortress.

Road to the Final

RCB, led by captain Rajat Patidar, were the dominant force of the league stage, securing nine wins from 14 matches to finish at the top of the points table. They then reinforced their credentials with a commanding 92-run victory over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala, booking their final berth in emphatic style. For RCB, this is uncharted territory — defending an IPL title is something the franchise has never attempted before, having claimed their maiden trophy last year.

Gujarat Titans, captained by Shubman Gill, authored one of the tournament's most compelling comeback stories. The Titans accumulated 18 points from 14 league games to finish in the top two, before defeating Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to force their way back into the final. Their route to Ahmedabad was the harder one, but arriving at their home ground with momentum firmly in their favour.

The Head-to-Head Context

The two sides have already met once this playoff cycle, with RCB handing GT a heavy 92-run defeat in Qualifier 1. That result will loom large over Sunday's contest — GT will be seeking revenge on familiar turf, while RCB will look to replicate the clinical performance that made the earlier clash so one-sided. Notably, the Narendra Modi Stadium is GT's home ground, giving the Titans a potential crowd and pitch-familiarity advantage.

How and Where to Watch

The IPL 2026 Final will be broadcast live on Star Sports channels across India. Fans can also stream the match in real time on JioHotstar. Coverage is expected to begin well ahead of the 7:30 pm IST start time on 31 May.

Full Squads

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Kumar Kushagra, Glenn Phillips, Rashid Khan, Manav Suthar, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Jason Holder, Tom Banton, Luke Wood, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Anuj Rawat, Kulwant Khejroliya, Gurnoor Brar, M Shahrukh Khan.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Jordan Cox, Kanishk Chouhan, Mangesh Yadav, Jacob Duffy, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Bethell, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Satvik Deswal.

With the title, the broadcast audience, and bragging rights all on the line, Sunday's final at Ahmedabad is set to be one of the most-watched IPL matches in recent memory.