When and where will the IPL 2026 auction take place?
Indian Premier League (IPL) The 2026 mini-auction is expected to take place between December 13 and 15, 2025, although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to confirm the official dates. Unlike the last two editions held overseas in Dubai (2024) and Jeddah (2025), the 2026 auction is expected to return to India, with sources saying the event may be held domestically for logistics purposes. Teams are expected to submit their retention and release lists by November 15, making this the first step in the auction process. Once the retention deadline passes, BCCI will finalize the list of registered players and confirm the auction pool.
Who can register for IPL 2026 auction?
The IPL has a structured system in which any cricketer (except Pakistani nationals) can register for the auction provided they meet the following criteria:
1. Indian player
Domestic Union: Indian players must be registered with a BCCI recognized state cricket association.
Experience: They can register if they have represented their state team in at least one first-class or List A match.
Under-19 players: An Indian Under-19 cricketer can register only if he has already played a first-class or List A game before the auction date. Merely being part of the India Under-19 team does not automatically make a player eligible.
No minimum or maximum age limit: IPL does not impose any specific age restrictions. However, players under the age of 16 are generally not allowed unless they have already played in senior domestic cricket, as seen in the case of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose participation sparked debate after playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025.
2. Foreign players
nationality: Only cricketers from non-Pakistani countries are allowed to register for the IPL auction. Players from other ICC-recognised cricket nations are eligible.
Registration: Foreign players must be registered with their domestic cricket board and have played at least one first-class or List A match.
Approval: Their participation in the auction is subject to No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their respective cricket boards.
How to Register for IPL 2026 Auction?
The IPL player auction registration process is handled through the BCCI online portal.
Registration by player: Eligible cricketers express their intention to enter the auction by filling the official IPL registration form circulated by their respective cricket boards.
Verification by the Board: The national or state board verifies the player's eligibility, match history and eligibility before approving the submission to the IPL Governing Council.
Final List: Once the registration closes, BCCI releases a detailed list of registered players. This was later changed to the final shortlist, which includes players requested by the franchises.
Auction Pool: Only the shortlisted players are included in the final auction pool from which teams can bid.
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