IPL 2026 Auction Purse Player Slots Venue and Timing Explained

The IPL 2026 mini-auction is all about squad fixing, not building, with franchises hunting specific roles in strict price bands. With far more players than jobs, every decision counts from the first paddle. The IPL 2026 auction kicks off Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 2:30 PM IST at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, with Star Sports and JioHotstar broadcasting it live. Teams will compete for 77 slots across 10 franchises, including 31 overseas spots, from a shortlist of 359 players—244 Indians and 115 overseas—chosen from an initial 1,355 entrants across 42 sets.

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The IPL 2026 auction is structured across 42 sets organized by role, capped/uncapped status, and base price. It kicks off with marquee players in set 1, with 40 of the top 49 names packed into sets 1-5 and 11-14, ensuring the biggest bidding battles happen early. The final eight sets feature 81 mostly uncapped players at INR 30 lakh base, where teams quickly complete their squads. Teams will not have the Right to Match option in this auction.

IPL 2026 Auction Purse and Players

he IPL 2026 mini-auction features a wide base-price pyramid, with 234 players starting at INR 30 lakh, while only 40 top names begin at INR 2 crore. Teams face an oversupply of all-rounders (139) and fast bowlers (92), with Indian talent dominating specialist batting and spin, and overseas players skewing pace and multi-skill roles. Squads can have up to 25 players with a maximum of 8 overseas, capped at INR 18 crore per overseas player. If two teams tie at the final bid, a sealed tiebreak goes to the BCCI without affecting the salary cap. Purse sizes vary widely: KKR (INR 64.3 crore, 13 slots) and CSK (INR 43.4 crore, 9) can control the room, while MI (INR 2.75 crore, 5 slots) must focus on filling their squad.

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