The countdown to the IPL 2026 season has officially begun, and all eyes are now on the mini auction. With limited slots, uneven purses, and a few big names in the player pool, this year’s auction promises sharp strategy rather than headline-grabbing spending sprees. Here’s a clear, no-nonsense guide to when and where the IPL Auction 2026 will take place, how to watch it live, and what fans should expect.
IPL Auction 2026 at a glance
The IPL 2026 mini auction will see all 10 franchises competing to fill 77 remaining squad spots, including 31 overseas slots, from a combined purse of Rs 237.55 crore. Unlike mega auctions, teams are expected to focus on plugging gaps rather than reshaping their entire squads.
The auction comes just a few months before the new IPL season, which is scheduled to begin in late March 2026.
Read More :- IPL Auction History: How Uncapped Players Triggered Crore-Plus Bidding Wars
IPL Auction 2026 date and time
The IPL 2026 mini auction will be held on Tuesday, December 16.
The proceedings are scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm IST.
As usual, the marquee and top-set players will be called first, followed by capped, uncapped, and accelerated rounds depending on how quickly teams fill their requirements.
IPL 2026 auction venue
This year’s auction will take place at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, marking another overseas venue for the IPL auction process. The modern indoor arena is expected to host franchise owners, team officials, and broadcasters, while fans follow every bid live from home.
IPL Auction 2026 live streaming details
Fans in India will be able to watch the IPL 2026 auction live on TV and digital platforms.
The event will be broadcast on the Star Sports network, while live streaming will be available on JioHotstar.
Live updates, sold lists, and purse breakdowns will also be shared across IPL’s official digital platforms and team social media handles.
Team purses: Who has money to spend?
The auction dynamics this year are heavily shaped by how uneven the purses are.
Kolkata Knight Riders enter the auction with a massive Rs 64.30 crore, the highest purse ever for a mini auction, along with 13 slots to fill. That makes KKR the team most likely to control bidding momentum.
Chennai Super Kings are also well placed, holding Rs 43.40 crore, giving them flexibility to go after proven overseas players or Indian all-rounders.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mumbai Indians have just Rs 2.75 crore left and five slots to fill. Expect MI to focus almost entirely on uncapped Indian players at base price, a familiar strategy for the franchise.
Player pool and retentions
The retention window for the TATA IPL 2026 season closed on November 15, 2025. Across all franchises, 173 players have been retained, including 49 overseas players.
With a maximum squad size of 25 players, Punjab Kings have retained the most players (21), while Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans have retained 20 players each.
That leaves limited room for manoeuvre, increasing the value of players who can cover multiple roles.
Read More :- Jio’s Happy New Year 2026 Plans Offer Year-Long Data, OTT Apps and Google Gemini Pro
Players to watch at the auction
The highest reserve price remains Rs 2 crore, with 40 players listed in that bracket.
Among the most talked-about names are:
- Cameron Green (Australia)
- Venkatesh Iyer (India)
- Liam Livingstone (England)
- Jason Holder (West Indies)
Pace-bowling all-rounders are expected to be in especially high demand, as teams look for flexibility in playing XIs without stretching their budgets too thin.
What to expect on auction day
Mini auctions are rarely chaotic, but this one could get intense early on. Teams with deep purses are likely to bid aggressively for a handful of priority targets, while others will wait patiently for value picks.
Every smart buy on December 16 could end up being the difference between a mid-table finish and a playoff push when IPL 2026 kicks off in March.
