The IPL 2025 season is finally over. RCB finally ended their trophy drought as they registered a six-run win over PBKS to clinch their first-ever IPL title on June 3.
The focus now shifts to the 19th edition of the T20 tournament as the teams will now look forward to the auction that will take place later this year to rebuild their teams to go all guns blazing next season.
The mega auction in Jeddah in November last year was one of the most eventful in league history. It featured over 570 players, including some of the biggest names in world cricket.
That event reset team combinations, but with the 2026 edition approaching, fans are now wondering: Will there be another auction next year? Let’s take a look at the auction format for 2026 and what kind of changes teams are expected to make.
Will there be an IPL auction in 2026?
Yes, there will be an auction ahead of IPL 2026 but not on the same scale as the previous one. It will be a mini auction -- which is typically held between mega auctions to allow teams to tweak their squads.
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Official details on the mini auction about its date and venue will likely be announced in the coming months.
When will the IPL 2026 mini auction take place?
There is no official confirmation yet but the IPL mini auctions are generally scheduled between November and December. That gives franchises time to reassess their squads post-season, decide on retentions and releases, and prepare for trades or fresh signings.
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Which teams are expected to make big changes for IPL 2026?
Two of the teams likely to shake things up are CSK and RR. CSK had a season to forget and are expected to release several players -- including Ravichandran Ashwin and Deepak Hooda.
RR had a tough season as well in the second half and may part ways with names like Shimron Hetmyer and Wanindu Hasaranga. Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad may also explore trades or releases after underwhelming campaigns.
On the flip side - top-performing sides like RCB and PBKS are expected to retain most of their cores with only minor adjustments.