The forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction will be held in the Gulf region on December 16.
On Saturday (November 15), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially confirmed that the one-day bidding event will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Each team has utilized its INR 120 crore purse value to retain its core group of players. With 237.55 crore purse left for all teams, the auction becomes more dynamic to fill 77 remaining slots.
For the third consecutive time, the IPL auction will be hosted at an overseas venue, which will be in the Gulf countries.
BCCI Official Statement Confirming IPL 2026 Auction Date
Here is what the BCCI revealed in an official statement about the IPL 2026 auction date and venue:
“Yes! The mini-auction of IPL’s season 19 will be hosted at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on 16th December 2025 (Tuesday),” the BCCI statement revealed.
Purse Spent By All 10 IPL Teams Ahead of Auction
All ten IPL teams submitted the retention list on Saturday (November 15), having spent an overall purse of INR 237.55 Crore ahead of the mini-auction.
After retaining 173 players, there are 77 slots available for all teams to fill in the auction, out of which 31 are vacant for overseas players.
Each team is allowed to build a robust squad of upto 25 players during the high-octane bidding event.
IPL 2026 Teams’ Purse Available for Mini Auction
Here is the purse remaining for all teams to invest in the IPL 2026 auction:
- Kolkata Knight Riders: INR 63.4 Crore
- Chennai Super Kings: INR 43.4 Crore
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: INR 25.5 Crore
- Lucknow Super Giants: INR 22.95 Crore
- Delhi Capitals: INR 21.8 Crore
- Rajasthan Royals: INR 16.05 Crore
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru: INR 16.4 Crore
- Gujarat Titans: INR 12.9 Crore
- Punjab Kings: INR 11.5 Crore
- Mumbai Indians: INR 2.75 Crore
Highest and Lowest Retention By Teams Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
Punjab Kings have retained a maximum of 21 key players and are left with only 4 slots to fill with a purse remaining of INR 11.50 Crore (including 2 overseas players).
Kolkata Knight Riders, on the other hand, have the largest purse of INR 64.30 crore due to the least number of retentions (upto 12 players). So, the three-time champions will have the possibility to reload upto 13 slots, including the options to fill 6 foreign players.
However, the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings retained 15 players to acquire the second-biggest purse of INR 43.4 crore, having nine slots to fill.
Blockbuster Trade Deals Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
Here are those ten sensational trade deals that every IPL franchise has been involved in (excluding Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru):
| Player | Former Team (in IPL 2025) | Current Team (for IPL 2026) | League Fee |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals | Changed from INR 18 Crore to INR 14 Crore |
| Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings | Existing Fee for INR 14 Crore |
| Mohammed Shami | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants | Existing Fee for INR 10 Crore |
| Nitish Rana | Rajasthan Royals | Delhi Capitals | Existing Fee for INR 4.2 Crore |
| Sam Curran | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals | Existing Fee for INR 2.4 Crore |
| Donovan Ferreira | Delhi Capitals | Rajasthan Royals | Changed from INR 75 Lakh to INR 1 Crore |
| Shardul Thakur | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians | Existing Fee INR 2 Crore |
| Mayank Markande | Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai Indians | INR 30 Lakh |
| Arjun Tendulkar | Mumbai Indians | Lucknow Super Giants | Existing Fee INR 30 Lakh |
| Donovan Ferreira | Rajasthan Royals | Delhi Capitals | Changed Fee from INR 75 Lakh to INR 1 Crore |
What to Expect During IPL 2026 Auction?
Compared to the previous season, the IPL 2026 mini auction prompts every team to engage in a highly dynamic bidding war.
Young, talented players have an opportunity to share the playing experience with renowned Indian and international stars.
Moreover, it is a golden chance for teams to revamp the squad to adapt to the modern era of fast-paced 20-over cricket.
The varying purse value of all teams after retentions and releases allows a rich set of Indian and foreign players to go under the hammer in the high-profile event.
Where to Watch IPL 2026 Auction? Live Streaming and Telecast
IPL 2026 mini auction will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar App and the official website, while the Star Sports network will broadcast the live event on the Star Sports network.
However, the live-streaming and telecast channels for the prestigious bidding event outside India will be revealed soon in the forthcoming days.
Final Thoughts
With a few days left for the IPL 2026 mini auction, the trade window is still open. This allows all teams to make lucrative trade deals one week ahead of the auction and restarts once again after the bidding event concludes.
Most importantly, the trade window comes to an end one month ahead of the forthcoming 19th season of the league. For instance, if the tournament commences on March 24, the trade window will close on February 24, 2026.
As BCCI has revealed the auction date, fans expect another official announcement regarding the start and conclusion of IPL 2026.