The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction has been scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, marking the third straight year the event will take place outside India. The 2024 auction in Dubai was the first-ever 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 the mega auction last year, the 2026 event will be a mini auction, conducted over a single day, but it is expected to be intense and strategically significant as teams reshape their squads ahead of the new season.

IPL franchises to finalize retentions and releases by November 15

Ahead of the auction, franchises must submit the list of players they wish to retain or release from their 2025 squads. The deadline for this process is 3 pm IST on November 15.

Once retentions are confirmed, the BCCI will send franchises a registered pool of players. Teams must then 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 actively pursued by teams.

Trading Window stays active until a week before IPL 2026 auction

The IPL trading window, which opened immediately after the 2025 season concluded, will remain active until one week before the auction. It will then reopen after the auction and continue until one month before the 2026 IPL season begins.

However, an important rule remains unchanged: teams are not allowed to trade any player acquired at the 2026 auction.

Four trades completed already as teams begin reshaping squads

With the 2026 season approaching, teams are already busy reshuffling their rosters. So far, four confirmed trades involving three franchises have been completed.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have been the busiest side so far, completing two all-cash deals:

• Shardul Thakur acquired from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
• Sherfane Rutherford acquired from Gujarat Titans (GT)

Both players bring versatility and depth to MI, with Thakur offering India-level all-round ability and Rutherford strengthening the middle order with his power-hitting.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in a separate trade, acquired Arjun Tendulkar from MI at his base price. The young left-arm pacer will look for more opportunities to showcase his development.

These early trades indicate that teams are preparing aggressively for the mini auction, aiming to fill specific roles well before the hammer comes down in Abu Dhabi.