--- title: "Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 playoffs race; Lucknow Super Giants in danger of elimination." sdDatePublished: "2026-05-04T21:07:00Z" source: "https://www.olympics.com/en/news/ipl-2026-playoffs-qualified-teams-qualification-scenarios" topics: - name: "cricket" identifier: "medtop:20000888" - name: "sport event" identifier: "medtop:20001108" - name: "sport" identifier: "medtop:15000000" locations: - "West Bengal" - "Maharashtra" - "Karnataka" - "Tamil Nadu" - "Delhi" - "Uttar Pradesh" - "Punjab" - "India" - "Telangana" - "Rajasthan" - "Gujarat" --- Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 playoffs race; Lucknow Super Giants in danger of elimination. IPL 2026 playoffs qualified teams: PBKS and RCB among frontrunners - know standings, scenarios IPL 2026 playoffs qualified teams: PBKS and RCB among frontrunners - know standings, scenarios With just four points so far, Lucknow Super Giants are in danger of being eliminated early from the race to the IPL playoffs. The ongoingIndian Premier Leagueseason is more than halfway through and the race for theIPL 2026 playoffsis entering its business end. Like last season, the top four teams at the end of theIPL 2026league stage will qualify for the playoffs. If teams finish level on points after 14 matches,Net Run Rate(NRR) will determine the standings. As things stand, after match 47, Punjab Kings, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals occupy the top four positions on theIPL 2026 points table. However, none of the teams has sealed their places in the IPL 2026 playoffs yet. Meanwhile, the Lucknow Super Giants sit at the bottom of the points table with just two wins from nine matches and are in danger of becoming the first team eliminated from the playoff race. Teams qualified for IPL 2026 playoffs: Standings and points table Love Cricket?🏏 Sign up for free to stream "Sports Swap India" Original Series and watch Indian cricketers try new sports. The top two teams will face off in Qualifier 1, with the winner advancing directly to the final. Teams placed third and fourth will meet in the Eliminator, where the loser will be eliminated. The loser of Qualifier 1 will then take on the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2 for the remaining place in the final. In the IPL, 70-match group stages have been a constant feature since the 2022 season. In IPL 2022, 2023 and 2025, the cut-off to make the playoffs have been 16 points. In IPL 2024, RCB were fourth with 14 points - after finishing above three more teams with the same tally - courtesy of a superior Net Run Rate. IPL 2026 playoffs qualification scenarios How can CSK qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: DC, LSG, LSG, SRH, GT Five-time championsChennai Super Kingsstill need four wins from their remaining five group games to hit the magic mark of 16 this season. CSK have made the playoffs 12 times in 16 seasons - the most by any team in IPL history - but will have their work cut out for them to hit the mark this season. Can DC qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: CSK, KKR, PBKS, RR, KKR Despite an in-form KL Rahul, the Delhi Capitals have struggled to convert starts to wins this season and have an uphill task to qualify for the playoffs. DC still need four wins from the five remaining games to hit the 16-point mark, which could potentially see them advance. Overall, DC have qualified for the playoffs six times, with their last progression coming back in 2021. Can GT qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: RR, SRH, KKR, CSK Since their IPL debut in 2022, the Gujarat Titans have qualified for the playoffs three times, with their only miss coming in 2024. The former champions are in the running this year too and can hit the magic mark of 16 with a couple of more victories in their remaining four games. Can KKR qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: DC, RCB, GT, MI, DC Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders have endured a torrid season thus far and find themselves in the bottom half of the table. Mathematically, KKR can still hit 17 points if they win all of their remaining five matches this campaign KKR have qualified for the playoffs eight times in 18 seasons. Only CSK and MI have managed more. Can LSG qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: RCB, CSK, CSK, RR, PBKS Even a perfect record in their final five matches could prove to be insufficient for the Lucknow Super Giants but they are still hanging by a thread. LSG have played the IPL playoffs twice in their four completed seasons. Can MI qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: RCB, PBKS, KKR, RR Following a tough start to the season, five-time champions Mumbai Indians find themselves in a precarious position and can reach a maximum of 14 points this campaign. Hardik Pandya and Co. are still mathematically in contention but a 12th playoff appearance to potentially match CSK’s record looks unlikely for MI this campaign. Can PBKS qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: SRH, DC, MI, RCB, LSG Last year’s finalists Punjab Kings have been in brilliant form this season. A washout in Kolkata and a couple of rare blips have been their only dropped points this season as PBKS needs just three more to hit the magic mark. Shreyas Iyer’s men are also in the running to break the record for most points in the IPL group stages - 20 - in the current 70-game format. PBKS have made the IPL playoffs thrice and the final twice. Can RR qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: GT, DC, LSG, MI After going unbeaten in their first four games this season, inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals have stuttered, managing just two more wins in their next six games. Despite the stumble, though, Riyan Parag and Co. are still very much in the hunt for the playoffs and can still hit a ceiling of 20 points. RR have made it past the group stage six times to date. Can RCB qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: LSG, MI, KKR, PBKS, SRH Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are well on course for the IPL playoffs this season and can still hit a maximum possible 22 points in the group stages this campaign. In their 18 completed seasons,Virat Kohli’s RCB have qualified for the playoffs on 10 occasions. They won their maiden title last season. Can SRH qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs Yet to play: KKR, PBKS, GT, CSK, RCB Propelled by an explosive top order, former champions Sunrisers Hyderabad find themselves in the top half of the IPL 2026 points table with two victories in their remaining five group games, enough to take them to the magic figure of 16. SRH have qualified for the IPL playoffs on six occasions.