By Kavita Mistry 
The IPL 2026 mini-auction is likely to be held in Abu Dhabi in December 2025.
Earlier, it was expected to happen in India.
Reports say the auction could take place on December 15 and 16.
The BCCI has not yet made an official announcement.
Third Auction Outside India
If this happens, it will be the third year in a row that the IPL auction is held outside India.
The last two were in Jeddah and Dubai.
The BCCI wanted to bring it back to India but could not find the right time in the cricket schedule.
Why Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi was chosen because it has good stadiums and great facilities.
The city has hosted many big cricket matches before.
It also helps the IPL reach fans around the world.
Team Preparations
All IPL teams must share their retained and released players list by November 15.
This will help them plan for the auction day.
The mini-auction in Abu Dhabi will decide the team squads for IPL 2026.