Going to an IPL Match: A First-Timer's Stadium Guide
Tickets, timings, what to carry and how to get there. Everything to know before your first night at the ground.
Watching the IPL on TV is great. Being in the stadium, with 30,000 or more fans roaring every boundary, is something else. If you are going to your first match, here is what to know.
1. Buying tickets
Tickets go on sale in the weeks before each match. Buy them only from the official ticketing partners announced by the home team and the league, usually through the team's website, app or social media. Tickets sold by strangers or unofficial websites are often fake, and resold tickets can be refused at the gate.
Check whether your ticket is a mobile ticket or needs to be collected, and read which gate and stand it is for.
2. Match timings
Most IPL matches start at 7:30 pm IST. On days with two matches, the first usually starts at 3:30 pm IST. A match lasts around three and a half to four hours, so an evening game often finishes close to midnight. Plan your journey home before you set off.
3. What to carry, and what to leave at home
- Carry: your ticket, a photo ID, a charged phone, some cash for food, and a cap and sunscreen for afternoon matches.
- Usually not allowed: outside food and drink, bottles, large bags, umbrellas and anything that could be thrown. Rules differ by ground, so check the list on your ticket.
4. Getting there
Roads around the grounds get very busy on match days, and parking is limited. Public transport is usually the quickest way in and out.
| City | Ground | Nearby public transport |
|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Cubbon Park metro station |
| Delhi | Arun Jaitley Stadium | Delhi Gate metro station |
| Kolkata | Eden Gardens | Eden Gardens railway station, or Esplanade metro |
| Mumbai | Wankhede Stadium | Churchgate railway station |
| Chennai | MA Chidambaram Stadium | Chepauk railway station |
| Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Stadium metro station, Uppal |
| Ahmedabad | Narendra Modi Stadium | Motera Stadium metro station |
Check the local metro or rail operator's website for match-day services, which are sometimes extended for late finishes.
5. At the ground
- Arrive early. Security checks take time, and the warm-ups are worth watching.
- Stay hydrated. Afternoon games in April and May can be very hot.
- Know your exit. Note the gate you came in by, and agree a meeting point if you are in a group.
- Enjoy it. Cheer for your team, respect the other side's fans, and join in the noise.
Stats in this chapter are correct to the end of the 2025 IPL season.
