What time does the IPL 2026 Auction start?

4 days ago 37

The countdown to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction has begun. Earlier on Tuesday, the BCCI named the list of 350 players that would go under the hammer for the mini auction, set to be hosted in Abu Dhabi on December 16. The list won’t feature any marquee sets, as the teams retained almost all the major names before the auction, while some stars also switched franchises as part of trade deals.

This season’s IPL auction will see some huge names like Cameron Green, Venkatesh Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, David Miller, Maheesh Theekshana and many others. However, the main focus for the teams would be in targeting local Indian buys who can iron out the defects in the post-retention IPL squads. Check all ten squads before the IPL 2026 auction here.

IPL 2026 Auction Start Time

For those unaware, the BCCI has mentioned that the IPL 2026 auction will commence at 2:30 PM IST. It is 1:00 PM UAE time. Since it will be a mini auction, the bidding war would be a single-day event. The accelerated round of the auction would begin after the first 70 players.

Event: Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction
Venue: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Date & Time: 16 December 2025, 2:30 PM IST
Total players available: 350 (110 overseas)
Slots available: 77 (31 overseas)
Live Streaming: JioHotstar, Star Sports Network

Last month, the BCCI conducted the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction, which was a mega one as well. It began at 3:30 PM IST and was wrapped up in around a 6-7 hour window. Something similar could be expected at the IPL auction as well. At the IPL 2026 auction, the youngest player is Sahil Parakh (June 7, 2007), who is part of India’s Under-19 team. The oldest individual is Jalaj Saxena (December 15, 1986), an Indian domestic veteran, who will turn 39 on the eve of the auction!