The Indian Premier League 2026 auction will take place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
In his mini-auction, over 350 players will compete for the 77 available slots, including 31 for overseas players, which means we could witness some drama and feisty bidding wars.
Here's all you need to know about the auction rules.
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What is the purse available for each franchise for the IPL 2026 auction?
| Team | No. Of players | Purse amount for IPL 2026 auction (INR) |
| Chennai Super Kings | 16 | 43.40 crore |
| Delhi Capitals | 17 | 21.80 crore |
| Gujarat Titans | 20 | 12.90 crore |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 12 | 64.30 crore |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 19 | 22.95 crore |
| Mumbai Indians | 20 | 2.75 crore |
| Punjab Kings | 21 | 11.50 crore |
| Rajasthan Royals | 16 | 16.05 crore |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 17 | 16.40 crore |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 15 | 25.50 crore |
MORE: IPL 2026 released players list: All players not retained by teams before IPL 2026 mini auction
How many players can a team buy in the IPL 2026 auction?
All 10 franchises can build a squad of a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 25 players for the IPL 2026 edition. Number of maximum buys = 25 - total retentions. Additionally, every team can only have a maximum of 8 overseas players.
| Team | No. Of players retained | Spots remaining | Overseas spots remaining |
| Chennai Super Kings | 16 | 9 | 4 |
| Delhi Capitals | 17 | 6 | 5 |
| Gujarat Titans | 20 | 5 | 4 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 12 | 13 | 6 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| Mumbai Indians | 20 | 5 | 1 |
| Punjab Kings | 21 | 4 | 2 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 16 | 9 | 1 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 17 | 8 | 2 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 15 | 10 | 2 |
How do IPL trades actually happen between franchises?
A player trade in IPL means a cricketer switches teams without entering the auction again. This usually happens through one of two methods- a player swap (where teams exchange players) or a cash deal (where one team pays for a player’s transfer).
The trading window usually opens about a month after the IPL season ends and continues till a week before the next auction. It reopens later and stays active until about a month before the tournament begins.
MORE: IPL 2026 mini auction: Remaining purses and budgets listed
In a one-way trade, the franchise buying the player pays a fee similar to the cricketer’s last auction value. If it’s a swap, both sides agree on the difference in prices between the two players.
One big example was when Hardik Pandya returned to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2024. Mumbai reportedly paid Gujarat the all-rounder's original auction amount plus a transfer fee.
Similarly, Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals made a two-way trade involving Avesh Khan and Devdutt Padikkal, with Lucknow also adding an extra ₹2.25 crore to balance the deal.
What is the duration of the IPL trade window?
According to IPL regulations, the trade window opens immediately after a season concludes and remains active until one week before the auction. It will again reopen one month prior to the start of the following season. However, players purchased at the IPL 2026 mini-auction cannot be traded.
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