The IPL 2026 mini auction is slated to be conducted on Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi. The city in the UAE now hosts the IPL auction for the first time, which continues to be hosted overseas. Previously, the auction took place in Dubai, while last year, the two-day mega auction was conducted in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.
For the upcoming edition, the auction will be happening at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, an hour and half away from Dubai.
Etihad Arena
Etihad Arena is a premier indoor multi-purpose venue on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with a capacity of 18,000. Opened in 2021 after delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, it hosts major sports, concerts, and entertainment events. Designed by HOK, it features a flexible layout for diverse setups like
rings, stages, or pools.
Notable Sporting Events
The arena debuted with UFC events, including UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar in 2021, followed by UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2, UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev in 2022, UFC 294 in 2023, UFC 308 in 2024, and most recently UFC 321: Aspinall vs. Gane on October 25, 2025.
It also hosted the 2021 World Swimming Championships with a temporary pool, a Floyd Mayweather exhibition in 2022, Dmitry Bivol vs. Gilberto RamÍrez title fight.
NBA preseason games featuring teams like Atlanta Hawks vs. Milwaukee Bucks (2022), Dallas Mavericks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (2023), and Boston Celtics vs. Denver Nuggets (2024).
Key Concerts and Shows
Major concerts include Imagine Dragons' Mercury World Tour in 2023 and Guns N' Roses on June 1, 2023. Other highlights feature IIFA Awards (22nd to 24th editions), Disney on Ice, Westlife's The Wild Dreams Tour, and Backstreet Boys. Linkin Park also had a programme at this venue, while a couple of IIFA awards have been conducted at this same venue.
