We are heading into yet another IPL player auction. The IPL 2026 auction will be a short affair, though a few teams have a lot of work to do. And for the third year in a row, the auction will happen outside India.
So, when is the IPL 2026 auction scheduled?
The player auction will take place on December 16, 2025. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena will host the mini auction.
How many players have registered for the auction?
Before the registration deadline closed, a total of 1355 players had put their names in. Of them, 1062 were Indians, and 293 were overseas players.
But only 350 of the 1355 players made the final auction list. 240 of them are Indian players, while 110 are overseas.
Here’s the country-wise breakup:
| Country | No. of Players |
|---|---|
| India | 240 |
| England | 21 |
| Australia | 19 |
| New Zealand | 16 |
| South Africa | 15 |
| Sri Lanka | 12 |
| Afghanistan | 10 |
| West Indies | 9 |
| Bangladesh | 7 |
| Ireland | 1 |
Have IPL teams retained players?
Yes. And since it’s a mini-auction, there was no limit on retentions.
So teams have kept their core intact, with a few crucial spots to fill in. And a few player trades also happened amidst the retentions. (Check all confirmed IPL 2026 player trades and retentions here.)
So, how many slots are now available to fill?
As many as 77 slots are empty across all 10 franchises. 31 of them are for overseas players.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have the most slots to fill – 13 in total, followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad (10). Punjab Kings (PBKS) have the least work to do, with four slots to fill in.
Here are the available slots for each team in the IPL 2026 auction:
| Team | Total Players | Players Retained | Overseas Players Retained | Available Slots | Overseas Slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 25 | 16 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| Delhi Capitals | 25 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Gujarat Titans | 25 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 25 | 12 | 2 | 13 | 6 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 25 | 19 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Mumbai Indians | 25 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Punjab Kings | 25 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 25 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 25 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 25 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| Total | 250 | 173 | 49 | 77 | 31 |
Click to Know All About IPL Auction Here
How Does the IPL Auction Work?
How Are Players Selected for the IPL Auction?
What is a Marquee Player in IPL Auction?
What is an Accelerated Round in IPL Auction?
What is the Right to Match (RTM) Card in IPL?
How Player Trade Works in IPL?
IPL: How Do Players Get Paid? – Explained
IPL Auction: Overseas Players Maximum Fee Rule – Explained
What’s the salary cap in the IPL 2026 auction?
All teams can collectively spend INR 237.55 crore. KKR, obviously, have the highest purse available, with 64.30 crore available to build the squad.
CSK have the second biggest purse (43.40 cr), followed by SRH (25.50 cr), LSG (22.95 cr), and DC (21.80 cr). MI have the smallest purse at 2.75 crore.
Here’s the salary cap for each team in the IPL 2026 auction: (All figures in INR)
| Team | Remaining Purse |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 43.40 crore |
| Delhi Capitals | 21.80 crore |
| Gujarat Titans | 12.90 crore |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 64.30 crore |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 22.95 crore |
| Mumbai Indians | 2.75 crore |
| Punjab Kings | 11.50 crore |
| Rajasthan Royals | 16.05 crore |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 16.40 crore |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 25.50 crore |
Is the RTM card available in the IPL 2026 auction?
Nope. The Right-to-Match (RTM) card won’t be available in this mini-auction.
What’s the minimum base price?
A player can list himself at the lowest base price of INR 30 lakh. Last year, the BCCI increased the minimum base price from 20 lakh to 30 lakh.
The highest base price is 2 crore, followed by 1.5 crore, 1 crore, 75 lakh, and 50 lakh.
In this auction, 40 players have listed themselves at the highest base price. And only two of them are Indians – Ravi Bishnoi and Venkatesh Iyer.
Where to watch the IPL 2026 auction?
Star Sports Network will telecast the IPL 2026 player auction on its TV channels. You can also live-stream the matches on JioHotstar.
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