IPL 2027 auction on 16 December in Goa, back in India after three years abroad

The IPL 2027 player auction will be held on Wednesday 16 December 2026, ESPNcricinfo reported on Monday, confirming the date the BCCI first gave the 10 franchises earlier this month. The venue is ITC Grand Goa, with a briefing for teams on 15 December, Outlook India reported, citing the BCCI's message to franchises.

Back in India

It is the first IPL auction held in India in three years, after three editions in a row overseas. The BCCI's logistics team told franchises about the date on Saturday 17 October, according to Cricbuzz and PTI reports carried by Business Today.

The BCCI has not yet published the auction's start time, the retention deadline or the purse each team will have. Pakistan time is 30 minutes behind Indian time, so a session that starts at 2:30pm in Goa would start at 2pm PKT.

A clash with India's ODIs

The date falls on the same day as India's scheduled ODI against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, and reports said the series opener in New Delhi on Sunday 13 December could move. The BCCI has denied plans to relocate that match, and no fixture change has been confirmed.

The coaching moves so far

The auction comes after a busy month of changes at the franchises. Mumbai Indians, who finished second from bottom in IPL 2026, lost head coach Mahela Jayawardene and named Kieron Pollard as his replacement. More moves are likely before teams submit their retention lists.

What to watch before December

Franchises first have to name the players they keep and release, which decides how much money each takes into the room. Mumbai Indians' rebuild under Pollard will be one of the stories to follow in the weeks before the auction. We will add the retention deadline and purse here when the BCCI confirms them.

What it means for Pakistan fans

Pakistani players still do not take part in the IPL, so the auction has no direct Pakistani interest, but it shapes the overseas market that competes with the PSL for the world's T20 stars. Many of the players Pakistan face in the ODI tri-series in Lahore this week, from England and Sri Lanka, will be in the auction pool.

Follow Pakistan's tri-series on our living page, and convert auction bids from rupees to Pakistani rupees with the currency converter.