In what year was the first IPL season played?

The first IPL season was played in 2008.

The inaugural Indian Premier League began in April 2008, marking the launch of a new franchise-based Twenty20 competition created by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Its short, high-energy format combined domestic Indian talent with internationally known players and quickly became a major part of the cricket calendar.

Rajasthan Royals won the first season, defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium. Shane Warne captained Rajasthan, while Yusuf Pathan was the standout performer in the final. The season is sometimes confused with 2007 because the BCCI announced and developed the league before its first matches were played, but the competition itself began in 2008.

The IPL later expanded, changed team identities, introduced new franchises and became one of the world’s most commercially prominent sports leagues. The 2008 season remains the foundation of its official season numbering.