The IPL winners list tells the full story of the Indian Premier League — from Rajasthan Royals’ fairytale in the inaugural 2008 season to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s back-to-back triumphs in 2025 and 2026. Across 19 seasons, eight different franchises have lifted the IPL trophy, with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings setting the benchmark at five titles each. This guide gives you the complete IPL champions list year by year, every final result, the winning captains, and the historic trends that define cricket’s biggest T20 league.
Quick Answer: Who Won IPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won IPL 2026, defeating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on 31 May 2026. Captained by Rajat Patidar and anchored by Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 75, RCB became only the third team in IPL history to successfully defend the title, joining Chennai Super Kings (2010–11) and Mumbai Indians (2019–20).
Complete IPL Winners List (2008–2026)
Here is the full list of IPL champions year wise, including runners-up, the winning margin, the final venue and the title-winning captain.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Result | Final Venue | Winning Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 3 wickets | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai | Shane Warne |
| 2009 | Deccan Chargers | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won by 6 runs | Wanderers, Johannesburg (SA) | Adam Gilchrist |
| 2010 | Chennai Super Kings | Mumbai Indians | Won by 22 runs | DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai | MS Dhoni |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won by 58 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | MS Dhoni |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 5 wickets | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Gautam Gambhir |
| 2013 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 23 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Rohit Sharma |
| 2014 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kings XI Punjab | Won by 3 wickets | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | Gautam Gambhir |
| 2015 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 41 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Rohit Sharma |
| 2016 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won by 8 runs | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | David Warner |
| 2017 | Mumbai Indians | Rising Pune Supergiant | Won by 1 run | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | Rohit Sharma |
| 2018 | Chennai Super Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 8 wickets | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | MS Dhoni |
| 2019 | Mumbai Indians | Chennai Super Kings | Won by 1 run | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | Rohit Sharma |
| 2020 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Won by 5 wickets | Dubai International Stadium (UAE) | Rohit Sharma |
| 2021 | Chennai Super Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 27 runs | Dubai International Stadium (UAE) | MS Dhoni |
| 2022 | Gujarat Titans | Rajasthan Royals | Won by 7 wickets | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Hardik Pandya |
| 2023 | Chennai Super Kings | Gujarat Titans | Won by 5 wickets (DLS) | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | MS Dhoni |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won by 8 wickets | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Shreyas Iyer |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Punjab Kings | Won by 6 runs | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Rajat Patidar |
| 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Gujarat Titans | Won by 5 wickets | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Rajat Patidar |
Most Successful IPL Teams: Title Count
When fans ask about the most IPL titles, the conversation always centres on Mumbai and Chennai. Here is the all-time IPL winners list by franchise after the 2026 season.
| Rank | Franchise | Titles | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai Indians | 5 | 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 |
| 1 | Chennai Super Kings | 5 | 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 |
| 3 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 3 | 2012, 2014, 2024 |
| 4 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2 | 2025, 2026 |
| 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 1 | 2016 |
| 5 | Rajasthan Royals | 1 | 2008 |
| 5 | Deccan Chargers | 1 | 2009 |
| 5 | Gujarat Titans | 1 | 2022 |
Key takeaway: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have together won 10 of the 19 IPL titles, making them the most successful IPL teams by a clear distance.
Also Read – IPL Betting India 2026 Final Highlights: The Best Moments and History Created in a Season for the Ages
IPL Captains With the Most Titles
Two leaders define the IPL’s golden era of captaincy. MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma have each won five IPL titles — the most by any captain.
| Captain | Titles | Franchise | Title Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 5 | Chennai Super Kings | 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023 |
| Rohit Sharma | 5 | Mumbai Indians | 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 2 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2012, 2014 |
| Rajat Patidar | 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2025, 2026 |
Rajat Patidar’s back-to-back wins in 2025 and 2026 made him the newest member of the multiple-title club and one of the few captains to win the IPL in consecutive seasons.
Season-by-Season Highlights
The Early Years (2008–2011): CSK Build a Dynasty
Rajasthan Royals shocked the cricketing world by winning the 2008 IPL under Shane Warne with a low-budget squad. Deccan Chargers claimed the 2009 title in the South Africa-hosted edition, before MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings won consecutive crowns in 2010 and 2011 — the first dynasty of the league.
The KKR and MI Era (2012–2020)
Kolkata Knight Riders broke through under Gautam Gambhir in 2012 and 2014. Sandwiched and surrounded by these wins, Mumbai Indians under Rohit Sharma turned into the most consistent machine in the competition, lifting the trophy in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. The 2017 and 2019 finals were both decided by a single run — among the closest finishes in IPL final history.
The Modern Era (2021–2026)
Chennai Super Kings added titles in 2021 and 2023, the latter being MS Dhoni’s fifth. Gujarat Titans stunned everyone by winning the IPL in their debut season (2022) under Hardik Pandya. Kolkata Knight Riders returned to glory in 2024 under Shreyas Iyer. Then came the moment a generation of fans had waited for: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first IPL title in 2025, ending an 18-year drought by beating Punjab Kings, and defended it in 2026 against Gujarat Titans.
Historic Trends and Records
- Most IPL titles: Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings — 5 each.
- First IPL champions: Rajasthan Royals (2008).
- Teams to win on debut: Gujarat Titans (2022) and Deccan Chargers’ successor SRH aside, GT remain the only side to win the IPL in their very first season.
- Successful title defences: Only three teams have retained the IPL — Chennai Super Kings (2010–11), Mumbai Indians (2019–20) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025–26).
- Closest finals: Mumbai Indians won the 2017 and 2019 finals by just 1 run.
- Most runner-up finishes: Chennai Super Kings have lost the most finals, reaching the title clash repeatedly without always closing it out.
- Most-used final venue in recent years: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad — the world’s largest cricket stadium — has hosted the final in 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026.
These IPL historic trends show a league that rewards squad depth, smart auction strategy and calm knockout-match leadership over flashy short-term spending.
Most IPL Final Appearances
Reaching the final is its own measure of consistency, and here Chennai Super Kings stand alone. CSK have played in 10 IPL finals — winning five and finishing runners-up five times — making them the most regular presence on the biggest night in franchise T20 cricket. Mumbai Indians have reached six finals, Kolkata Knight Riders four, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru five (2009, 2011, 2016, 2025 and 2026), turning three early heartbreaks into back-to-back trophies in the modern era.
| Franchise | Final Appearances | Titles | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Mumbai Indians | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 4 | 3 | 1 |
The pattern is clear: the franchises that win the most are also the ones that get to the final most often. Sustained qualification, not one-off hot streaks, is what builds an IPL dynasty.
Which Teams Have Never Won the IPL?
For all the league’s history, several well-supported franchises are still chasing a maiden title. Among the current ten teams, three have never lifted the trophy:
- Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) — runners-up in 2014 and again in 2025, but still without a title.
- Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) — reached their only final in 2020, losing to Mumbai Indians.
- Lucknow Super Giants — one of the 2022 expansion teams, yet to reach a final.
Punjab Kings’ two runner-up finishes make them the most prominent member of the “nearly men” club, while Delhi Capitals’ long wait remains one of the IPL’s enduring storylines.
How a Team Wins the IPL: The Playoff Format
Winning the IPL is not simply about topping the table. Since the 2022 season, the ten teams are split into two groups of five, and the top four on points advance to the playoffs. The format then rewards finishing in the top two:
- Qualifier 1 — the top two teams meet; the winner goes straight to the final.
- Eliminator — the third and fourth-placed teams play a knockout; the loser is out.
- Qualifier 2 — the Qualifier 1 loser faces the Eliminator winner for the last spot in the final.
- The Final — the two survivors contest the title at a neutral or designated-home venue.
This structure gives the league’s strongest sides a safety net — a top-two finish means two chances to reach the final — and it is exactly why consistent regular-season form, not just knockout flair, has defined champions like CSK and MI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the IPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won IPL 2026, beating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Who has won the most IPL titles?
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are tied at the top of the IPL winners list with five titles each.
Which team won the first-ever IPL?
Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural IPL in 2008, defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final.
How many teams have won the IPL?
Eight different franchises have won the IPL across 19 seasons: Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers and Gujarat Titans.
Which current teams have never won the IPL?
Among the current ten franchises, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants have never won the title. Punjab Kings have finished runners-up twice (2014 and 2025).
Which team has played the most IPL finals?
Chennai Super Kings have appeared in 10 IPL finals — more than any other team — winning five and finishing runners-up five times.
Which captains have won the most IPL titles?
MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) and Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) have each captained their teams to five IPL titles.
Has any team defended the IPL title?
Yes. Chennai Super Kings (2010–11), Mumbai Indians (2019–20) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025–26) are the only teams to win back-to-back IPL titles.
Sources & References
This list was verified across multiple authoritative cricket sources. The 2008–2024 results, exact final scores and venues match Wikipedia’s consolidated “List of IPL seasons and results” table; the 2025 and 2026 finals were confirmed against ESPNcricinfo scorecards and the official IPL match reports.
- IPL (official) — TATA IPL 2026 Final: RCB v GT, Match Report.
- ESPNcricinfo — RCB vs GT, IPL 2026 Final, full scorecard
- Wikipedia — List of Indian Premier League seasons and results
- Olympics.com — IPL winners list: Know all champions.
- Yahoo Sports / Cricket News — IPL winners in all seasons (2008–2026).
- CricTracker — IPL Winners List from 2008 to 2026.
- Outlook India — RCB vs GT, IPL 2026 Final match report.
Note on captaincy: Rajat Patidar (not Faf du Plessis) captained RCB to the 2025 and 2026 titles; Faf du Plessis led RCB in 2024. Several aggregator pages still carry the older information — the figures above follow ESPNcricinfo and the official IPL record.