The IPL 2026 mini auction is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16, with all 10 franchises preparing to reshape their squads ahead of the new season. The auction will begin at 2:30 PM IST and is expected to see intense bidding as teams compete for a limited pool of top domestic and overseas talent.
A total of 350 players have been shortlisted for the auction, with franchises collectively aiming to fill 77 available slots. The combined purse for all teams stands at ₹237.55 crore, giving several franchises significant flexibility to strengthen weak areas.
Kolkata Knight Riders, three-time IPL champions, will enter the auction with the largest remaining purse of ₹64.30 crore, following player trades and releases. They are followed by Chennai Super Kings (₹43.4 crore), Sunrisers Hyderabad (₹25.50 crore), Lucknow Super Giants (₹22.95 crore), Delhi Capitals (₹21.8 crore), Rajasthan Royals (₹16.50 crore) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (₹16.40 crore).
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans (₹12.90 crore) and Punjab Kings (₹11.50 crore) will also have moderate spending power. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians are expected to be relatively quiet at the auction, having just ₹2.75 crore left in their purse.
Franchises will be particularly focused on filling the 31 remaining overseas slots across teams. Each squad must include a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 25, with no more than eight overseas players allowed.
Unlike previous mega auctions, Right to Match (RTM) cards will not be available, forcing teams to bid carefully and plan strategically within tight budgets.
Several high-profile names are set to attract attention, including Cameron Green, Prithvi Shaw, Venkatesh Iyer, Liam Livingstone, Ravi Bishnoi, Rachin Ravindra, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, and Quinton de Kock, all of whom could play a key role in shaping the IPL 2026 squads.
Fans can watch the IPL 2026 mini auction live on the Jio Hotstar app and website, while television coverage will be available on the Star Sports Network.