With the IPL Auction 2026 scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, all ten franchises enter the mini auction with varying levels of squad flexibility. While some teams have minimal space left to fill, others have ample room for restructuring. The number of available slots — including overseas spots — will shape how aggressively each team can bid.

Here is the complete ranking of teams based on the fewest slots remaining ahead of the auction.

1. Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Slots remaining: 4
Overseas slots: 2
PBKS enter the auction with the leanest roster requirement, giving them limited but targeted scope to strengthen specific areas.

2. Mumbai Indians (MI)

Slots remaining: 5
Overseas slots: 1
MI have just one overseas slot left, meaning most of their remaining business will focus on domestic talent.

3. Gujarat Titans (GT)

Slots remaining: 5
Overseas slots: 4
GT have a strong overseas bench to rebuild, with four international positions open.

4. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Slots remaining: 6
Overseas slots: 4
LSG have moderate flexibility but will need to balance between Indian core additions and overseas reinforcements.

5. Delhi Capitals (DC)

Slots remaining: 8
Overseas slots: 5
DC have significant room to manoeuvre, especially in the overseas category.

6. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Slots remaining: 8
Overseas slots: 2
RCB enter with an equal number of slots as DC but fewer overseas vacancies.

7. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Slots remaining: 9
Overseas slots: 4
CSK are expected to make multiple additions as they aim for a squad revamp after releasing several players.

8. Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Slots remaining: 9
Overseas slots: 1
RR have the lowest overseas availability among teams with large slots left, allowing limited foreign additions.

9. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

Slots remaining: 10
Overseas slots: 2
SRH have room for both depth building and strategic upgrades.

10. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Slots remaining: 13
Overseas slots: 6
With the highest purse and the most open slots, KKR are set for one of the most active auction nights.