The Indian Premier League 2026 auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16, sources have told Sports stars.

There had been speculation in recent weeks that the mini-auction could return to India, but BCCI officials indicated that logistical considerations prompted the decision to stage it overseas for the third straight year.

Dubai hosted the auction in 2023, followed by Jeddah in Saudi Arabia last year.

IPL 2026 retentions | Full list of retained, released and traded players ahead of auction

Being a mini-auction, it will be a one-day event, where 10 franchises will look to fix their weak links.

The franchises finalised their player retention on Saturday.

Published on Nov 15, 2025