The IPL mini 2026 auction is fast approaching, with less than a month left for the massive event. The pool of players may be small in this auction, but it will be worth watching which franchise targets which player.
With names like Andre Russell, Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, and Venkatesh Iyer available for bidding, this year's auction is going to be better than ever.
That being said, here's everything we know about the upcoming Tata IPL 2026 auction.
IPL 2026 Auction Venue
As announced by the Indian Premier League (IPL) organisers on Saturday, the mini auction will be held in Abu Dhabi. The Etihad Arena is confirmed as the venue for the 19th edition of the IPL auction. Notably, this is the third time in the tournament's history that the massive bidding will take place overseas.
IPL 2026 Auction Dates
The IPL mini auction 2026 will take place on December 16. All the 10 IPL franchises will submit their bids for favourable players on this day.
The date and venue for the upcoming auction were announced after the IPL 2026 player retention list were revealed.
The IPL trade window briefly shuts down a week before the auction and reopens after the auction concludes. Moreover, it finally closes exactly 30 days before the season begins. For instance, if the tournament starts on 22 March, the window will conclude on 22 February, 2026.
IPL Auction 2026 Latest Updates
The following IPL trades have already rewritten team identities.
Ans. Yes, the IPL 2026 is set to take place in the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025.
Q.2. Who is the most expensive player in IPL 2026?
Ans. In the IPL 2026 trade, Sanju Samson’s transfer from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings for INR 18 crore has officially become the biggest and most expensive trade in IPL history.
Q.3. Who got 27 crore in IPL 2025?
Ans. Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history, after the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bought the batter for ₹27 crore in IPL 2025.
Q.4. Who has CSK retained in 2026 IPL?
Ans. The following players have been retained by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2026:
IPL 2026 Auction (X.com/@Rokte_Amarr_KKR).jpg)
.jpg?type=mq "Released players KKR might target")
.jpg?type=mq "Ramiz Raja on Babar Azam..")
