Saturday, March 29, 2025
IPL 2026 Auction: Date, Time, Venue, Live Streaming, Players in the Pool, and Team Purse Details
Quick Summary
The IPL 2026 mini-auction will be held in Abu Dhabi. Ten franchises will compete for 77 available slots, with a total purse of ₹237.55 crore. Fans can watch the auction live on TV and online.
Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, where franchises will finalize their squads for the upcoming season. The IPL Governing Council has confirmed that this will be a mini-auction, to be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Tuesday, December 16.
A total of 369 players have registered for the IPL 2026 auction.
Around 240 Indian players
More than 110 overseas players
However, only 77 players will be bought, as that is the total number of vacant slots across all 10 teams. Among these, a maximum of 31 overseas players can be picked. This means over 280 players are likely to go unsold.
Each IPL franchise can have a maximum squad size of 25 players, including no more than 8 overseas players.
Date: December 16, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM IST
The IPL 2026 mini-auction will be conducted at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi.
Live Streaming: Jio Hotstar app and website
Live TV Broadcast (India): Star Sports Network
The combined purse of all 10 IPL teams for the auction stands at ₹237 crore 55 lakh.
The highest base price in the auction is ₹2 crore, with 40 players listed in this bracket.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have the largest purse:
₹64.30 crore, with 13 slots to fill
This is the biggest purse ever in an IPL mini-auction
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) also have a strong budget of ₹43.40 crore
Mumbai Indians (MI) have the smallest purse:
Just ₹2.75 crore, with 5 slots remaining
MI are expected to focus mainly on uncapped players
Kolkata Knight Riders: ₹64.30 crore | 13 slots (6 overseas)
Chennai Super Kings: ₹43.40 crore | 9 slots (4 overseas)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: ₹25.50 crore | 10 slots (2 overseas)
Lucknow Super Giants: ₹22.95 crore | 6 slots (4 overseas)
Delhi Capitals: ₹21.80 crore | 8 slots (5 overseas)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: ₹16.40 crore | 8 slots (2 overseas)
Rajasthan Royals: ₹16.05 crore | 9 slots (1 overseas)
Gujarat Titans: ₹12.90 crore | 5 slots (4 overseas)
Punjab Kings: ₹11.50 crore | 4 slots (2 overseas)
Mumbai Indians: ₹2.75 crore | 5 slots (1 overseas)
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green is expected to attract big bids. In his IPL career so far, Green has scored 704 runs and taken 16 wickets in 29 matches, making him a valuable fast-bowling all-rounder.
Other players likely to draw strong interest include:
Venkatesh Iyer (India-based but overseas-listed category)
Jason Holder (West Indies all-rounder)
Historically, pace-bowling all-rounders command high prices, especially in mini-auctions where franchises come with specific requirements.
Mini-auctions often prove more dramatic than mega-auctions, as teams arrive with clear strategies and targeted needs. With limited slots and competitive budgets, franchises are willing to push hard to secure players who can immediately strengthen their playing XI.
The IPL 2026 auction promises high drama, surprise bids, and career-defining moments for several cricketers.
