IPL 2026 | RR join RCB, GT and SRH in top-four: Check Playoffs schedule, venues and format here

The top-four teams of IPL 2026 have been decided after 10 teams battled it out for little less that two months across 70 league-stage matches. With three teams already decided, it came down to the last day of the first round to decide the fourth team. Rajasthan Royals sealed the final Playoffs spot in IPL 2026 with a comfortable 30-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

The result meant that both Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders were knocked out of the tournament as the Riyan Parag-led side now have 16 points, while the other two can reach a maximum of 15 points.

With the defeat, Mumbai Indians finished ninth on the table, only above Lucknow Super Giants. The two teams finished with only four wins throughout the 14 matches and are separated only by Net Run Rate.

The four teams that qualify for the Playoffs include table toppers and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.

While RCB and GT will play the Qualifier 1 and battle for a direct entry into the final, RR and SRH have a longer route to take, playing the Eliminator.

What is the Playoffs format?

According to the playoffs format in the IPL, the teams finishing first and second get another chance of playing the final. While the winner of Qualifier 1 goes straight through to the final, the loser will play the Qualifier 2 for another shot at the big game.

The teams finishing three and four have a longer route to the final. They first play the Eliminator. A win there would mean they face the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2. A loss in the Eliminator results means it is curtains to their campaign.

This means that RCB and GT have an advantage for having been the two best teams in the past two months, while RR and SRH have to win three consecutive matches to be crowned the champion.

In the history of IPL Playoffs format, which is now in its 16th season, only once has a team finishing third or fourth gone on to win the title. The feat was achieved by SRH in the 2016 season.