IPL 2025 Broadcast and Streaming Guide: How to Watch Live Matches in India
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is set to commence on March 22, 2025, featuring an exciting opening match between the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. As cricket enthusiasts across India gear up for this thrilling tournament, it’s essential to know where and how to catch all the live action. This comprehensive guide provides detailed information on the telecast channels, live streaming platforms, subscription plans, match schedules, and additional features to enhance your IPL viewing experience.
Television Broadcast: Star Sports Network
For fans who prefer watching matches on television, the Star Sports network remains the official broadcaster of IPL 2025 in India. The network offers coverage in multiple languages, catering to a diverse audience. Key channels include:
- Star Sports 1: English commentary
- Star Sports 1 Hindi: Hindi commentary
- Star Sports Select: Regional languages
The live coverage of the opening match between KKR and RCB will commence at 5:30 PM IST on March 22, 2025, with a grand opening ceremony scheduled for 6:00 PM IST. The match is set to begin at 7:30 PM IST. All day matches throughout the tournament will start at 3:30 PM IST, while evening matches are slated for 7:30 PM IST.
Digital Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar
In a significant development, all live sports content, including IPL 2025, will be exclusively streamed on Disney+ Hotstar. This decision follows the merger between Disney and Reliance, aiming to consolidate sports streaming on a single platform. Fans can access live matches through the Disney+ Hotstar app or website. To enjoy uninterrupted streaming, viewers need to subscribe to one of the available plans:
- Mobile Plan: ₹499/year – Access on one mobile device.
- Super Plan: ₹899/year – Access on two devices across mobile, web, and living room devices.
- Premium Plan: ₹1,499/year – Access on four devices with 4K streaming quality.
These plans not only provide live IPL matches but also grant access to a vast library of movies, TV shows, and other sports events.
Reliance Jio Offers: Bundled Plans with Disney+ Hotstar
Reliance Jio has introduced special offers for its subscribers, combining data benefits with Disney+ Hotstar subscriptions. Notable plans include:
- ₹299 Plan: Valid for 28 days, offering 2GB/day data, unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS/day, and a complimentary Disney+ Hotstar Mobile subscription for 1 year.
- ₹499 Plan: Valid for 56 days, providing 3GB/day data, unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS/day, and a 1-year Disney+ Hotstar Mobile subscription.
- ₹777 Plan: Valid for 84 days, offering 1.5GB/day data, additional 5GB data, unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS/day, and a 1-year Disney+ Hotstar Mobile subscription.
These bundled plans are designed to offer seamless streaming experiences for cricket fans, ensuring they don’t miss any live action.
Match Schedule and Venues
The IPL 2025 season will feature 70 league matches and four playoff games across 13 venues. The tournament structure includes 12 double-headers, with the first double-header scheduled for March 23, 2025. The final league match is set for May 18, 2025, between the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The playoffs are scheduled as follows:
- Qualifier 1: May 20, 2025, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.
- Eliminator: May 21, 2025, at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.
- Qualifier 2 and Final: May 23 and May 25, 2025, respectively, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Additional Features and Enhancements
To enrich the viewing experience, Disney+ Hotstar offers features such as multi-cam feeds, real-time statistics, and an interactive social feed, allowing fans to engage more deeply with the matches. The platform’s user-friendly interface ensures easy navigation across live matches, highlights, and exclusive content.
Conclusion
With the consolidation of live sports streaming on Disney+ Hotstar and the continued broadcast on Star Sports channels, IPL 2025 promises to be more accessible and engaging for fans across India. Whether you choose to watch on television or stream digitally, numerous options and subscription plans are available to suit your preferences. Ensure you select the plan that best fits your needs to enjoy the exhilarating cricketing action that IPL 2025 has to offer.
