It’s that time of the year when the whole country starts talking about the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the upcoming edition. With the deadline day nearing for the IPL 2026 retentions, the buzz has already started with the teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians attracting more eyeballs.

Unlike the previous season, this time it will be a mini-auction as most of the teams have already zeroed in on the final retention list. In addition to that, some of the major trade deals are also taking place in the backdrop.

IPL 2026 retention rules explained

Unlike the mega auction, a mini auction doesn’t limit the IPL franchises on the number of retentions. According to the tournament rules, an IPL franchise need to have a maximum of 25 players and the total purse for each franchise will be around ₹120 crores.

What’s the IPL 2026 retention deadline day?

The deadline for the IPL 2026 retention is November 15 (Saturday). The list of retained and released players for each of the franchise will be announced around 5 PM IST.

When is IPL 2026 player auction?

Although an official date for the IPL 2026 auction is yet to be announced, it is believed that it will be between December 13 and 16. Like the previous season, the IPL 2026 auction is likely to be hosted outside India once again, with middle-east countries, preferably Abu Dhabi. Jeddah in Saudi Arabia hosted the IPL 2025 auction.

When and where to watch IPL 2026 retention?

Star Sports is the official broadcasting partners of Indian Premier League. The IPL 2026 retention will telecast live on Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 (Hindi), Star Sports 2 (Tamil), Star Sports 2 (Telugu) and Star Sports 2 (Malayalam) from 5 PM IST. Live streaming of IPL 2026 retention will be available on JioStar app and website.

Who are defending IPL champions?

RCB are the defending champions in IPL. Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB defeated Punjab Kings in the final by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, in the final, thus ending their 18-year title drought. Mumbai Indians and CSK are the most successful sides in IPL with five trophies each. KKR are the second-highest successful side with three titles.