The IPL 2026 mini-auction will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, marking the third straight year the event takes place outside India.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16, marking the third straight year the event is being held overseas. Dubai hosted the 2024 mini-auction, while Jeddah was the venue for the 2025 mega-auction.
Ahead of the 2026 season, all ten franchises must submit their list of retained and released players by 3 PM IST on November 15. The IPL will then share a pool of registered players, from which teams will prepare their final shortlist for the auction.
The trading window, which opened after the 2025 season, will stay active until a week before the auction and reopen afterward until a month before the tournament begins. Franchises cannot trade players purchased at the 2026 auction.
So far, only two trades are confirmed—Mumbai Indians have signed Shardul Thakur from Lucknow Super Giants and Sherfane Rutherford from Gujarat Titans. Reports suggest a blockbuster deal between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran likely moving to Rajasthan in exchange for Sanju Samson.
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The upcoming IPL season is expected to run from March 15 to May 31, 2026. Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the new season as defending champions after clinching their first-ever title against Punjab Kings earlier this year in Ahmedabad.
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