What happened in the 2026 final
Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted the IPL trophy for the second year in a row on 31 May 2026, chasing down Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Titans finished on 155 for 8 in their twenty overs and Bengaluru got there in 18, losing wickets along the way but never letting the required rate climb out of reach. It was Bengaluru's second title in two seasons and the franchise's second title overall, with the first coming in 2025.
The result also moved Bengaluru into a small club. Only two other franchises had retained the IPL trophy going into the 2026 edition — Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Both of those have five titles each. Bengaluru now sit on two. Titans, for their part, were playing in their third final and have now won one of those (the 2022 title against Rajasthan Royals) and lost two.
The 19-season record at a glance
Across the 19 editions of the Indian Premier League played between 2008 and 2026, eight different franchises have lifted the trophy. Five of those franchises have title-winning records that are well documented in the verified match record: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The other three have lifted the title in earlier editions of the tournament but their complete year-by-year record is outside the verified source dossier used for this retrospective.
Mumbai Indians — the five-time champions
Mumbai Indians have won the IPL five times: 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. That run includes the only four-peat-and-five-in-eight-seasons stretch any franchise has produced in the tournament. They are tied with Chennai Super Kings as the most successful franchise in the competition's history, and their run of five titles in eight editions between 2013 and 2020 remains the benchmark against which every other franchise is now measured.
Chennai Super Kings — five titles after debuting as runners-up
Chennai Super Kings have also won five titles: 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. They made their first appearance in an IPL final in 2008 and finished as runners-up that year, then waited two seasons before lifting their first trophy in 2010. Their run includes back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 and another stretch in 2018, 2021 and 2023 in which they featured in five of six finals. Like Mumbai, they are now the reference point for sustained success in the tournament.
Kolkata Knight Riders — the third most successful franchise
Kolkata Knight Riders have won the IPL three times: 2012, 2014 and 2024. They are the only franchise other than Mumbai and Chennai to have won back-to-back titles in the past — though their back-to-back (2012 and 2014) was split by a season in which they did not feature in the final. Their 2024 win came twelve years after their 2014 title and re-established them as a top-of-table franchise after a long stretch in the middle of the pack.
Gujarat Titans — 2022 then two finals without a second trophy
Gujarat Titans entered the IPL in 2022 and won the title in their first season, beating Rajasthan Royals in the final. They have now appeared in three IPL finals in five editions of the competition — 2022 (won), and 2025 and 2026 (lost). The 2026 defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru was their second consecutive final loss, although they have played in the final in three of their five seasons, which is a strong record by any measure.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 2025, then 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's run is the newest chapter in the IPL winners' record. They won their first title in 2025 and defended it successfully in 2026, becoming the third franchise to retain the IPL trophy after Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. The 2026 final was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad against Gujarat Titans and was won by Bengaluru with ten balls to spare, the chase of 155 completed in 18 overs.
What the record means for fantasy cricket
The verified 19-season record tells fantasy players three things to take into the next auction cycle. First, the title-winning franchises cluster around a small group. Five of the eight title-winning franchises have won 16 of the 19 editions between them — Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad (Titans). That is the universe of franchises whose players will carry the heaviest captain-and-vice-captain ownership in any given week.
Second, the back-to-back club matters. Mumbai and Chennai have shown that retaining a title is a repeatable skill, and Bengaluru's 2026 win means a third franchise has now done it. Fantasy players who build lineups around the previous season's title-winning core typically find a higher floor on captain points in the early weeks of the next season.
Third, the gaps between titles tell their own story. Bengaluru waited from the first IPL in 2008 to 2025 for their first trophy, a 17-season gap that no longer looks like a fluke now that they have followed it with a second. Kolkata went 10 years between 2014 and 2024. Titans won in their first season and have featured in three of the next four finals. Fantasy players who anchor their long-term squads to franchises on either side of a title win tend to do better in differential contests. The patterns of the verified record, including the full list of winners from 2008 to 2026 and how those title wins shape fantasy squads going into the next season, are tracked on the Fantoss fantasy cricket editorial desk as the auction and the new season approach.
What to watch in the IPL 2026-27 cycle
Two questions follow from the verified record. The first is whether Bengaluru can do what only Mumbai and Chennai have done before them and win three titles in five editions, the kind of stretch that turns a franchise into a dynasty. The second is whether Gujarat Titans can convert their three-finals-in-five-seasons run into a second trophy, after the back-to-back final losses in 2025 and 2026. Both questions will shape the captain pick logic for the next season and the differential picks that fantasy players build around the early fixtures.
The verified 19-season record also shows how the venue map has shifted. Early IPL editions were decided on a small pool of home grounds; the 2026 final was the latest in a run of title deciders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a venue that has now hosted multiple finals and a confirmed IPL 2026 fixture list. The pitch report, boundary dimensions and average first-innings score at the venue are the kind of inputs fantasy players use to set captain and vice-captain expectations before a deadline.
The full list of champions from 2008 to 2026 — including the editions whose winners sit outside the verified record used for this retrospective — will be republished on the Fantoss editorial desk once the new IPL season schedule is released. The desk will also publish a captain pick cheat sheet for the opening week, a venue notes update for every franchise, and the first differential picks list once the squads are confirmed. Readers building a long-term fantasy portfolio around the title-winning franchises will find the verified 19-season record, the venue map and the differential picks list all on the same editorial desk.
Frequently asked questions
Which team has won the most IPL titles?
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are tied on five titles each. Mumbai won in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Chennai won in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023.
How many franchises have won the IPL?
Eight different franchises have lifted the IPL trophy across the 19 editions of the tournament between 2008 and 2026.
Which franchises have won back-to-back IPL titles?
Three franchises have won back-to-back IPL titles. Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings both did it, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru joined the club by defending their 2025 title with the 2026 win.
Who won the IPL 2026 final?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, chasing 155 for 8 in 18 overs with ten balls to spare.
How many IPL finals has Gujarat Titans played?
Gujarat Titans have played in three IPL finals in five seasons of competition. They won the 2022 final against Rajasthan Royals and lost the 2025 and 2026 finals.
When did Royal Challengers Bengaluru win their first IPL title?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first IPL title in 2025 and followed it with a second title in 2026, becoming the third franchise to retain the IPL trophy.
When did Chennai Super Kings win their first IPL title?
Chennai Super Kings debuted in the IPL in 2008 as runners-up and won their first title in 2010. They have since won five titles in total.
Where can I read the next IPL season preview?
The Fantoss editorial desk publishes the season preview, captain pick cheat sheet and venue notes for every franchise in the days after the IPL schedule is released.