Anshu Bhadoria - Sunday, Nov 02, 2025The IPL 2026 mini auction may be held outside India. Reports suggest the auction is now likely to be held abroad. Abu Dhabi in the UAE is leading the race to host the auction. Oman and Qatar are also under consideration. The auction for the 19th edition of the IPL is expected to take place on December 14. The deadline for player retention is November 15.
The IPL 2026 mini auction was originally scheduled to be held in India, but there is now a shift in the venue.
According to reports, the auction is now likely to be held abroad. Although the franchises have not been officially informed of the city, they have received indications.
It is estimated that the auction venue may be in a Gulf country, as was the case last time. Abu Dhabi in the UAE is leading the race, while other Middle Eastern countries like Oman and Qatar are also under consideration.
The mini auction for the 19th edition of the IPL is expected to take place on December 14. However, December 13 has also been considered as a possible additional day if the auction extends to two days.
IPL Governing Council officials have not yet released the final schedule, but sources familiar with the matter said last month that December 14 has been communicated to the franchises, while the deadline for player retention has been set for November 15.
The BCCI is likely to officially announce the auction date and venue before November 15, which is the deadline for franchises to submit their player retention and release lists.
As reported earlier, the deadline for franchisees to release their retention and release lists is November 15 One of the major talking points is a possible trade involving Sanju Samson. Despite not getting enough chances to bat in T20I cricket, he remains a prolific run-scorer The final decision on this potential trade could come soon when Rajasthan Royals' owner, Manoj Badale, visits India.
Notably, the board is expected to make an official announcement about the date and location of the auction before November 15
