The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction will be held on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. This marks the third consecutive year the IPL auction will take place outside India, following Dubai (2024) and Jeddah (2025). The 2026 edition will be a single-day event.
The announcement came shortly after all ten IPL franchises released their lists of retained and released players ahead of the mini-auction. A total of 173 players, including 49 overseas cricketers, have been retained across teams. A combined purse of ₹237.55 crore will be available for 77 slots, including 31 overseas spots.
KKR and CSK Eye Big Buys With Massive Budgets
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are expected to dominate the bidding with the largest available purses.
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KKR enter the auction with a massive ₹64.3 crore, having released big names like Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Moeen Ali, and Anrich Nortje. With 13 slots, including six for overseas players, the franchise is likely to undergo a major rebuild.
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CSK freed up ₹40 crore, releasing players including Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran, and Matheesha Pathirana. Despite trading in Sanju Samson, CSK will look to rebuild their bowling unit and may attempt to buy back Pathirana or target Ben Stokes, depending on his availability after the Ashes.
Key Team Retention Highlights
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Punjab Kings retained the most players (21), entering the auction with ₹11.5 crore.
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Mumbai Indians retained 20 players but have only ₹2.75 crore left — the lowest purse.
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Sunrisers Hyderabad have 10 available slots, the most among all teams.
Retentions by the Numbers
| Franchise | Players | Overseas | Spent (₹ Cr) | Purse Left (₹ Cr) | Slots | Overseas Slots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSK | 16 | 4 | 81.6 | 43.4 | 9 | 4 |
| DC | 17 | 3 | 103.2 | 21.8 | 8 | 5 |
| GT | 20 | 4 | 112.1 | 12.9 | 5 | 4 |
| KKR | 12 | 2 | 60.7 | 64.3 | 13 | 6 |
| LSG | 19 | 4 | 102.05 | 22.95 | 6 | 4 |
| MI | 20 | 7 | 122.25 | 2.75 | 5 | 1 |
| PBKS | 21 | 6 | 113.5 | 11.5 | 4 | 2 |
| RCB | 17 | 6 | 108.6 | 16.4 | 8 | 2 |
| RR | 16 | 7 | 108.95 | 16.05 | 9 | 1 |
| SRH | 15 | 6 | 99.5 | 25.5 | 10 | 2 |
The next stage will be player registration, followed by a shortlist of cricketers who will go under the hammer on December 16. With KKR and CSK holding the strongest purses and several star players released, the IPL 2026 auction promises intense bidding wars and major squad reshuffles.
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
