The IPL 2026 auction will be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, marking the tournament’s third straight overseas auction. The IPL has continued its global shift, especially after staging the 2024 event in Dubai and the 2025 mega auction in Jeddah.
Teams Prepare for the IPL 2026 Auction Retentions
Franchises are already working through retention and release strategies ahead of the IPL 2026. They must submit their final lists by 3pm IST on November 15. Once that is done, the BCCI will send franchises a registered player pool to shortlist from before finalising the official auction list.
Moreover, the trading window remains active until a week before the auction. It will reopen after the auction and run until a month before the start of IPL 2026. Importantly, any player purchased at the IPL 2026 auction cannot be traded that season.
IPL 2026 Auction is likely to be held in Abu Dhabi this December! 🏝💰
— wicketbuzz (@wicketbuzz) November 10, 2025
Big moves, bigger dreams await in the desert heat!
📸Getty #IPL2026 #IPLAuction #AbuDhabiAuction #WicketBuzz #CricketNews #IPLUpdates #T20Cricket #PlayerAuction #CricketFever #IndianPremierLeague pic.twitter.com/PNS5PhtXX9
Big Trades Before the IPL 2026 Auction
Several teams have already made eye-catching moves, adding even more anticipation to the IPL 2026. The most significant development involves a historic three-player swap between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. CSK secured Sanju Samson, while RR received Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in return—one of the biggest trade deals the IPL has ever witnessed.
Additionally, Mumbai Indians made strong early moves. They acquired Shardul Thakur from Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 crore and brought in Sherfane Rutherford from Gujarat Titans for INR 2.6 crore. In another confirmed transaction, LSG signed Arjun Tendulkar for his base price of INR 30 lakh.
These trades indicate how teams are reshaping their squads strategically before the IPL 2026 auction.
Schedule and Season Window for IPL 2026
As preparations continue, the league has tentatively marked March 15 to May 31 as the IPL 2026 window. Although the schedule may be refined later, teams are planning their auction strategies based on this timeline. Since the IPL 2026 auction is a mini auction, it will be completed in a single day, yet competition for key international and Indian talent is expected to be intense.
