The IPL mini auction will determine the fate of 10 franchises as they look to build their squad ahead of the new season.
The IPL 2026 auction kicks off on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at the Etihad Centre in Abu Dhabi. The event marks the third consecutive year the IPL auction is hosted outside India, following Dubai in 2024 and Jeddah in 2025, underscoring the league's global appeal.
As a mini-auction-unlike sprawling mega-auctions-this edition is condensed into a single day, focusing on efficiency amid a pool of approximately 350 registered players.
IPL 2026 Auction Session Structure: Player Sets and Pace
The auction unfolds in a streamlined manner, divided into focused player categories to maintain momentum. It begins with Set 1: Capped Batters, featuring high-profile names like Cameron Green (registered
as batter), Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller, and Prithvi Shaw.
Subsequent sets include Set 2: All-Rounders, Set 3: Wicketkeepers, Set 4: Uncapped Players, and Set 5: Overseas Talents, progressing methodically through the list.
Post the initial 70 players, the Accelerated Round kicks in, intensifying the pace for lower-base-price talents to wrap up efficiently. Even after that, the teams are expected to go another round of pick from the unsold players and if the quota is not completed, it may repeat again.
IPL 2026 Auction Timing and Breaks
To sustain energy during the marathon, the IPL incorporates protocol-driven breaks, mirroring past mini-auctions. Although the exact timing may vary, we can expect a number of breaks across different junctures.
Mini Breaks: It can happen after Set 1, Set 5 - Set 1 concludes the big marquee names, while Set 5 will conclude the top-rated capped players.
Mid-Session Break: Around the 70th player (approx. 5:30-6:00 PM IST, 15-20 minutes), transitioning to the accelerated round for team regrouping.
Dinner Break: After 120-140 players (approx. 7:30-8:00 PM IST, 45 mins to 1 hour). Post the dinner break, the franchises may have the chance to bring back unsold players in the fray again.
Final Break: It can be a small break to give the franchises a second round of bringing back unsold players if the quota is not completed. This can be a mini break of around 10-15 minutes.
