Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction is held in Abu Dhabi on 16 December, marking For the third consecutive year this event will be held outside IndiaThe 2024 auction in Dubai was the first overseas edition, followed by the 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, and now Abu Dhabi joins the growing list of global hosts for one of cricket’s most anticipated events,
Unlike last year’s mega auction, the 2026 event will be a smaller auction, held on a single day, but it is expected to be intense and strategically important as teams reshape their squads ahead of the new season.
IPL franchises have to finalize retention and releases by November 15
Before the auction, franchises will have to submit a list of players they wish to retain or release from their 2025 squad. The deadline for this process is November 15 at 3 pm.
Once the retention is confirmed, BCCI will send a registered pool of players to the franchises. Teams will then have to shortlist players from that list, after which the IPL Governing Council will finalize the official auction pool. This multi-step process ensures that the final list includes only players who are being actively followed by teams.
Trading window remains active till one week before IPL 2026 auction
The IPL trading window, which opened immediately after the conclusion of the 2025 season, will be active till a week before the auction. It will then reopen after the auction and continue for a month before the start of the 2026 IPL season.
However, one important rule remains unchanged: teams are not allowed to trade any players purchased in the 2026 auction.
Four trades have already been completed as teams begin reshaping squads
With the 2026 season around the corner, teams are already busy reshuffling their rosters. So far, four confirmed trades involving three franchises have been completed.
five-time champion Mumbai Indians (MI) This has been the team’s busiest yet, completing two all-cash deals:
- Shardul Thakur bought from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
- Sherfane Rutherford acquired from Gujarat Titans (GT)
Also read: Suresh Raina picks two star players whom Mumbai Indians should retain ahead of IPL 2026
Both players bring versatility and depth to MI, with Thakur providing India-class all-round ability and Rutherford strengthening the middle order with his power-hitting.
In a separate trade, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) was acquired Arjun Tendulkar From MI at its base price. The young left-arm fast bowler will be looking for more opportunities to showcase his development.
These early trades indicate that teams are aggressively preparing for the mini-auction, aiming to fill specific roles before the hammer comes down in Abu Dhabi.