Before each IPL season, teams enter the auction after completing retention, scouting domestic talent and assessing overseas options. Unlike a mega auction, a mini auction, like the upcoming IPL 2026, is primarily about fine-tuning teams and filling vacancies rather than rebuilding from scratch.
The IPL 2026 mini auction will be held on December 16 at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, making it the third consecutive year that the auction will be held outside India. A total of 359 players have been shortlisted from the original list of 1,355, with 77 slots available in the teams. Franchises can have a maximum squad of 25 players, including a maximum of eight foreign players. However, before the auction, there are some lesser known aspects that many people often overlook.
What is the silent tie-breaker bid in IPL auction?
Silent tie-breaker bids are used when two or more franchises place the same highest bid for a player. Instead of continuing an open verbal bidding war, the BCCI conducts a written tie-break process behind closed doors.
In this system, tied franchises submit sealed bids without knowing how much others are offering. The player is awarded to the team that submits the highest written bid. Importantly, the tie-break bid amount is never publicly disclosed. If two or more teams again submit the same highest written bid, only those teams are asked to repeat the process until a clear winner emerges.
Which cities have hosted the IPL auction?
Since 2008, IPL auctions have been held in several Indian cities and more recently overseas locations. Bengaluru has been the host most often, while it has been moved overseas in the last two seasons. BCCI has once again gone out of the country for IPL 2026.
| Year | host city | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Mumbai | India |
| 2009 | Goa | India |
| 2010 | Mumbai | India |
| 2011 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2012 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2013 | Chennai | India |
| 2014 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2015 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2016 | Mumbai | India |
| 2017 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2018 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2019 | Jaipur | India |
| 2020 | Kolkata | India |
| 2021 | Chennai | India |
| 2022 | Bengaluru | India |
| 2023 | Kochi | India |
| 2024 | Dubai | united arab emirates |
| 2025 | Jeddah | saudi arabia |
| 2026 | Abu Dhabi | united arab emirates |
What is the accelerated process in IPL 2026 auction?
The accelerated process is the final, expedited stage of the auction designed to quickly clear the remaining players. In IPL 2026, this round will start after the presentation of the first 70 players. Before the quick round begins, franchises submit a shortlist of unsold players in whom they are still interested.
Only those selected names are called. Bidding proceeds rapidly with minimal interruptions, and if no team immediately raises the paddle, the player is declared unsold. The accelerated process does not change any rules regarding base price, squad size or overseas cap; This speeds up proceedings once teams have largely filled their squads.
How much money has been spent in each IPL auction?
Over the past few years, the IPL auction has seen massive financial growth, with record bids and contracts being filed every year.
| Year |
money spent |
| 2008 | USD 36.43M |
| 2009 | USD 7.65M |
| 2010 | USD 3.65M |
| 2011 | USD 62.775M |
| 2012 | USD 10.995M |
| 2013 | USD 11.885M |
| 2014 | Rs 262.6 crore |
| 2015 | Rs 87.60 crore |
| 2016 | Rs 136 crore |
| 2017 | Rs 91 crore |
| 2018 | Rs 431 crore |
| 2019 | Rs 106.80 crore |
| 2020 | Rs 140.30 crore |
| 2021 | Rs 145.30 crore |
| 2022 | Rs 551.70 crore |
| 2023 | Rs 167 crore |
| 2024 | Rs 230.45 crore |
| 2025 | INR 639.15 crores |
Who are the most expensive players by country in IPL auction history?
The main reason why IPL is called a cash-rich league is the money spent on players. And every season, one or two players make headlines with their record signings. Currently, India's Rishabh Pant tops the list of most expensive players in the history of the league.
| Country | player | Price (in crores) |
| India | Rishabh Pant | 27 |
| Australia | Mitchell Starc | 24.75 |
| South Africa | heinrich classen | 23 |
| new zealand | kane williamson | 14 |
| England | Sam Curran | 18.50 |
| west indies | nicholas puran | 21 |
| afghanistan | Rashid Khan | 18 |
| bangladesh | Mustafizur Rahman | 3.20 |
| Pakistan | shahid afridi | 2.71 |
| Sri Lanka | Mathisha Pathirana | 13 |
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