IPL 2026 mini-auction: Date, venue, and other key details
What's the story
After announcing the list of retained and released players, the 10 franchises are set for the 2026 Indian Premier League auction. The mini-auction will take place on December 16 at Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena. As many as 173 players have been retained so far, including 49 overseas players. This leaves an open pool of 77 slots for teams to fill during the auction.
Auction details
IPL 2026 mini-auction to be held in Abu Dhabi
The IPL governing council has confirmed that the mini-auction for the 2026 season will be held on December 16 at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. This marks the third consecutive year of the auction being held overseas, with the previous editions taking place in Dubai and Jeddah over two days. However, this time around, it will be a single-day event due to a smaller player pool for the mini-auction.
Information
Over ₹230 crore up for grabs
According to the governing council, a total of ₹237.55 crore will be up for grabs at the auction, making it an exciting event with plenty of potential for intense bidding wars. Teams have already spent ₹1012.45 crore.
Team strategies
KKR have the biggest purse
As reported earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will enter the auction with the biggest purse of ₹64.3 crore. They have 13 slots to fill, including six overseas positions. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are second in the race with a remaining purse of ₹43.4 crore. They have nine slots to fill. Sunrisers Hyderabad (25.5), Lucknow Super Giants (22.95), Delhi Capitals (21.8), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (16.4), Rajasthan Royals (16.05), Gujarat Titans (12.9), Punjab Kings (11.5), and Mumbai Indians (2.75) follow suit.