The countdown to IPL 2026 has begun. After teams finalized their retained players on November 15, the BCCI confirmed the date and place for the IPL Auction. In Abu Dhabi, 77 players are available to be bid on including 31 overseas names and the entire budget for auction has been capped at ₹237.55 crore.
The IPL Auction 2026 will be held on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. All ten teams have submitted their list of retained players and now the real action starts. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will go into the auction with the biggest purse of ₹64.30 crore after releasing big players like Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer giving them a chance to rebuild and strengthen their team.
CSK Seek Reinforcements with Massive ₹43.40 Crore Auction Purse
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are wanting some reinforcement in lacklustre line-up, goes into the auction with ₹43.40 crore. Mumbai Indians (MI), though, find themselves in a tight spot with only ₹2.75 crore left and 20 players in the team. KKR head into the auction with 12 players on their team and 13 vacancies (6 overseas slots) to be filled, courtesy a heavy purse of ₹64.3 crore. CSK have retained 16 players, leaving 9 spots open including 4 for overseas stars.
SRH Enter Auction with Strong Core and Stable Budget
Sunrisers Hyderabad retained 15 players and now have ₹25.5 crore to pick 10 more, including 2 overseas stars. Lucknow Super Giants retained 19, leaving 6 slots open, 4 for overseas, with ₹22.95 crore to spend.. Delhi Capitals (DC) retained 17 players leaving 8 spots open, including 5 for overseas stars with ₹21.8 crore to spend. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) also have 17 players retained, 8 slots left including 2 overseas and ₹16.4 crore in their auction purse.
MI Enter Auction with Tight Purse and Limited Slots
Punjab Kings (PBKS) retained the most players from their last squad, keeping 21, and have only 4 spots left to fill, including 2 for overseas players, with ₹11.5 crore to spend. Mumbai Indians kept 20 players, leaving 5 slots, including 1 for an overseas player, and have the smallest budget of ₹2.75 crore for the auction.
IPL 2026 Mini Auction Overview
| Overview | Details |
|---|---|
| Auction Date | December 16, 2025 |
| Venue | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| Total Player Slots | 77 slots to be filled across all teams |
| Total Auction Purse | Approx. ₹237.55 crore combined for all teams |
| Highest Purse | Kolkata Knight Riders – ₹64.3 crore |
| Second Highest Purse | Chennai Super Kings – ₹43.4 crore |
| Lowest Purse | Mumbai Indians – ₹2.75 crore |
| Maximum Squad Size | 25 players per team |
IPL 2026 – Remaining Purse Team-Wise
| Team | Purse Left (INR) |
|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | ₹64.3 Cr |
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | ₹43.4 Cr |
| SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) | ₹25.5 Cr |
| Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | ₹22.95 Cr |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | ₹21.8 Cr |
| Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | ₹16.4 Cr |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | ₹16.05 Cr |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | ₹12.9 Cr |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | ₹11.5 Cr |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | ₹2.75 Cr |
IPL 2026 – Squad & Slot Details
| Team | No. of Players (Retained) | Available Slots | Overseas Slots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | 12 | 13 | 6 |
| Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | 16 | 9 | 4 |
| SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 15 | 10 | 2 |
| Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| Delhi Capitals (DC) | 17 | 8 | 5 |
| Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) | 17 | 8 | 2 |
| Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 16 | 9 | 1 |
| Gujarat Titans (GT) | 20 | 5 | 4 |
| Punjab Kings (PBKS) | 21 | 4 | 2 |
| Mumbai Indians (MI) | 20 | 5 | 1 |
IPL 2026 Trading Window Details
| Phase | Start Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Window Opens | June 4, 2025 | Franchises can negotiate player trades, swaps, and transfers |
| Retention Deadline | November 15, 2025 (5 PM IST) | Final date for teams to submit retained and released player lists |
| Trading Window Closes | December 9, 2025 | One week before mini-auction; no further trades allowed |
| Mini-Auction Date | December 16, 2025 (3 PM IST) | Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi – third consecutive year auction held overseas |
| Post-Auction Trade Window | December 17, 2025 (approx) | Additional squad adjustments allowed after auction |
Note: The post-auction trading window closes exactly 30 days before the start of the IPL 2026 season, allowing final squad adjustments within this period
IPL 2026 Mini Auction Live Streaming and TV Telecast Details
| Platform(s) | Live Streaming / TV |
|---|---|
| Star Sports | TV Telecast (India) |
| JioHotstar App & Website | Live Streaming (India) |
Code: TOPBK
