The Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) is more than just a cricket tournament; millions of fans across India celebrate it like a festival. Before the beginning of the IPL, there is one thing that brings so much excitement: the IPL Auction. The IPL 2026 Auction is focusing on smart buys, balancing the squads, as well as bridging gaps after the IPL 2025 season. The IPL 2026 Auction is unique because it is giving new rules, values, as well as a new list of domestic and international cricket players. The upcoming auction is an opportunity for the young cricketers to showcase their amazing skills. In this blog, we will get to know about the IPL 2026 auction date and time table, new rules, big buys, and much more.
IPL 2026 Auction: Date, Time & Venue
The IPL 2026 Auction will take place on 16 December 2025 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. The timing of the auction is 2:30 PM IST (1:00 PM UAE time). The 77 are the total slots that are available, of which 31 are overseas. The IPL 2026 Auction is going to stream on Star Sports, JioCinema, and IPL YouTube.
| Auction Date | December 16, 2025 |
| Auction Type | One-day mini-auction |
| Time | 2:30 PM IST (1:00 PM UAE time) |
| Venue | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi |
| Retention Deadline | November 15, 2025 – 5 PM IST |
| Total Purse (All Teams Combined) | Rs 237.55 crore |
| Team Purse (Standard) | Rs 151 crore per team |
| Total Registered Players | 1,390 registered, 350 in final auction list |
| Rs 2 Crore Base Price Bracket | 40 Players |
| Slots Available | 77 (31 overseas) |
| Streaming | Star Sports, JioCinema, IPL YouTube |
IPL 2026 Auction and Windows
| Windows | What Happens | Status |
| Pre-Auction Trade Window | Cash trades + player swaps | Open now till 1 week before the auction |
| Mini-Auction | Teams fill final squad gaps | December 16, 2025 | Abu Dhabi |
| Post-Auction Trade Window | Further squad tuning | Open until 1 month before IPL 2026 |
Key Highlights and Changes: IPL 2026 Auction
Here are some of the highlights and changes that you should know regarding the IPL Auction 2026:
Auction in Abu Dhabi: The IPL 2026 Auction is being held again at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. For two years, the venue has remained the same.
Mini Auction: The IPL 2026 Auction is a mini auction, meaning fewer players will be available, slots will be limited, and franchises will focus on smart buys.
Young Indian Talent: The auction is mainly focusing on young talents and those who have performed outstandingly in the domestic cricket matches.
Fixed Budget: This year teams have restricted purse and spending by thinking. Making a balance between big cricket players and the money.
IPL 2026 Auction Format: Slot, Squad Size, Purse and Stake
The IPL 2026 mini auction is going to follow a streamlined model with short duration and few slots compared to the mega auction.
- Slots: 77 total player slots in 10 franchises.
- Combined Purse: Rs 237.55 Crores.
- Squad Size: The Maximum squad size is 25 players.
- Purpose of Mini vs Mega Auction: Focuses on bridging the gaps, releasing players and not major rebuilds.
- Retention Deadline: 15 November 2025
- Team Purse: Rs 151 Crores
- Pay Approach (New): Auction Price and Rs 7.5 Lakh match fees
Mini Auction Cheat Sheet
| Purse | Rs 151 crore per team |
| Total Slots Available | 77 (31 overseas) |
| Total Registered Players | 1,390 registered | 350 in final auction list |
| Rs 2 Crore Base Price | 40 Players (Updated) |
| Date | December 16, 2025 |
| Venue | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi |
| Broadcast | Star Sports | JioCinema | IPL YouTube |
IPL 2026 Auction Date and Time Table
| Event | Date | Time | Details |
| Pre-Auction Trade Window Opens | June 2025 | – | Teams begin trading and swapping players. |
| Pre-Auction Trade Window Closes | July 2025 | – | The final list of traded players is updated. |
| Player Retention & Release Deadline | 15 November 2025 | 5:00 PM IST | Teams submit the final list of retained and released players. |
| Final Trading Window Closes | Around 9 December 2025 | – | Last chance for teams to make trades before the auction. |
| IPL 2026 Mini Auction | 16 December 2025 | 3:00 PM IST | Official auction event for IPL 2026. |
| Post-Auction Trade Window Opens | Late December 2025 | – | Teams make final adjustments after the auction. |
| Post-Auction Trade Window Closes | January 2026 | – | Squads are finalised before the season begins. |
| Pre-Season Window | February-March 2026 | – | Teams prepare for the IPL 2026 season. |
IPL 2026 Auction: Confirmed Trade Before the Auction
Here is the list of players who were traded during the trade cycle.
| Category | Player Name | From Team | To Team |
| Confirmed Trade | Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | Chennai Super Kings |
| Confirmed Trade | Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals |
| Confirmed Trade | Sam Curran | Chennai Super Kings | Rajasthan Royals |
| Confirmed Trade | Shardul Thakur | Lucknow Super Giants | Mumbai Indians |
| Confirmed Trade | Sherfane Rutherford | Gujarat Titans | Mumbai Indians |
| Confirmed Trade | Arjun Tendulkar | Mumbai Indians | Lucknow Super Giants |
| Confirmed Trade | Mohammed Shami | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lucknow Super Giants |
| Confirmed Trade | Mayank Markande | Kolkata Knight Riders | Mumbai Indians |
| Confirmed Trade | Nitish Rana | Delhi Capitals | Rajasthan Royals |
| Confirmed Trade | Donovan Ferreira | Delhi Capitals | Rajasthan Royals |
IPL2026 Auction: Team-Wise Targets
| IPL Teams | Targets | Names linked |
| CSK | Overseas all-rounders; finishers; pace depth | Cameron Green, Mark Wood, Gerald Coetzee |
| RR | Bowling reboot; wicket-takers | T Natarajan, Alzarri Joseph |
| KKR | Seam all-rounder; WK-bat; top-order hitter | Cameron Green, Ben Duckett, Alex Carey |
| LSG | Overseas pace | Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson |
| SRH | Middle-order anchor | Rilee Rossouw, Michael Bracewell |
| DC | Opener; leg-spin | Mayank Agarwal, Finn Allen |
| MI | Spin depth + utility all-rounder | Tabraiz Shamsi, Krishnappa Gowtham |
| GT | Middle-order stability | Ben Duckett, Rassie van der Dussen |
| RCB | Power-hitter; seam all-rounder | Mark Wood, Jhye Richardson |
| PBKS | WK finisher; spin hitters | Tom Curran, Tim Seifert |
Conclusion
The IPL 2026 Auction is a high-stakes event and all set for 16 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Along with 1390 players registering for auction, 350 players are in finals, and 40 names are under Rs 2 Crore base price. The major cricket players like Cameron Green, David Miller, and Jamie Smith, have entered the important window. The above-mentioned IPL 2026 auction date and time table gives you a clear understanding.
Article Code: Adarsh 1125-370
