IPL 2026 Retention: How many players can a franchise retain? Key trades, salary cap, streaming - All you need to know

It's that time of the year when the whole country starts talking about the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). With the deadline nearing for IPL 2026 retentions, the buzz has already started with 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 teams have already zeroed in on their final retention list. In addition to that, some major trade deals are also taking place in the background.

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 needs to have a maximum of 25 players and the total purse for each franchise will be around ₹120 crore.

What's IPL 2026 retention deadline?

The deadline for the IPL 2026 retention is 15 November (Saturday). The list of retained and released players for each 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. It is likely to happen in Abu Dhabi, as per reports. Jeddah in Saudi Arabia hosted the IPL 2025 auction.

When and where to watch IPL 2026 retention?

Star Sports is the official broadcasting partner of the Indian Premier League. The IPL 2026 retention will be 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 the 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.

Full list of trade deals ahead of IPL 2026 retention

• Ravindra Jadeja - Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals ( ₹14 crore)
• Sam Curran - Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals ( ₹2.4 crore)
• Sanju Samson - Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings ( ₹18 crore)
• Mohammed Shami - Sunrisers Hyderabad to Lucknow Super Giants ( ₹10 crore)
• Mayank Markande - Kolkata Knight Riders to Mumbai Indians ( ₹30 lakh)
• Arjun Tendulkar - Mumbai Indians to Lucknow Super Giants ( ₹30 lakh)
• Nitish Rana - Rajasthan Royals to Delhi Capitals ( ₹4.2 crore)
• Donovan Ferreira - Delhi Capitals to Rajasthan Royals ( ₹1 crore)
• Shardul Thakur - Lucknow Super Giants to Mumbai Indians ( ₹2 crore)
• Sherfane Rutherford - Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians ( ₹2.6 crore