IPL 2026 Playoff Qualification Scenarios: With 5 matches to go, RR hold edge as PBKS and KKR chase the final spot — paths for each team explained

With five games remaining in the IPL 2026 league stage, LSG and MI are already out of contention for the playoffs while RCB, GT and SRH have qualified. RR are best placed among the others followed by PBKS and KKR. DC and CSK are still in the mix but only mathematically.

There are now 32 possible combinations of results, so nothing is for sure yet for any of the five remaining in the race that haven’t qualified.




We look at their paths to qualification:

• RR need to beat MI in their last game to ensure qualification. That will leave them with the prospect of a three-way tie for second (with SRH and GT if those teams lose their final games) or a tie for third place with SRH or GT. If they lose against MI, they will have to hope PBKS do not beat LSG

• PBKS need to beat LSG to have any chance of qualifying. Even if they do, they will need MI to beat RR. If that happens, the KKR-DC game would determine whether PBKS finish sole fourth or tied for fourth with KKR

• KKR need to beat DC. But that alone is not enough. They need MI to beat RR. If that happens, the PBKS-LSG game will decide if KKR finish sole fourth or tied for that spot with PBKS

• DC must not only beat KKR, they also need two other results to go their way – LSG beating PBKS and MI beating RR – to even tie for fourth spot with either RR or KKR and CSK. Their net run rate is significantly worse than both, which means the possibility of qualification appears only theoretical

• CSK’s situation is even more dependent on other results. They need to beat GT and then hope three other results go their way – LSG beating PBKS, MI beating RR and DC beating KKR. If all of that happens, CSK would tie for fourth spot with RR and DC. Their current net run rate is worse than RR’s but better than DC’s

With the playoff race tightening, fans can also use TOI’s IPL Prediction Hub to simulate different match results and check qualification possibilities live.
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