“The player trade window opened after IPL 2025 and continues until one week before the auction.”
The IPL 2026 player auction will take place on 16 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi. This marks the third consecutive year the IPL holds its auction outside India. Franchises will use this mini-auction to complete their squads for the new season.
Teams must submit their lists of retained and released players by 15 November 2025. The player trade window opened after IPL 2025 and will close one week before the auction. Teams cannot trade players bought at the auction immediately; the trade window reopens after the auction until one month before the season starts.
Several high-profile trades have already happened. Sanju Samson joined Chennai Super Kings. Shardul Thakur and Sherfane Rutherford moved to Mumbai Indians. Arjun Tendulkar signed with Lucknow Super Giants.
The IPL 2026 season will run from March to May 2026. Fans are eager to see how teams shape up in the new season.