New Delhi: While news about the IPL 2026 mini-auction taking place in India surfaced earlier, there seems to be a change in approach concerning the auction location, which is now likely to take place abroad. 

While the franchises haven't been officially notified of the exact city, they have probably received hints. The expected destination is likely to be somewhere in the Gulf area, like the previous auctions. Abu Dhabi in the UAE appears to be a leading candidate, but other Middle Eastern sites, such as Oman and Qatar, are also under consideration, according to a Cricbuzz report.

The mini-auction for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is expected to take place on December 14, with a window also open on December 13 in case of a two-day event.

While the officials of the IPL Governing Council have yet to release the final schedule, sources aware of the development informed IANS last month that December 14 is the date mentioned to the franchises, with November 15 being the last date for player retentions.

Moving the auction overseas marks a significant shift from an earlier plan, which indicated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was eager to hold the auction in India. While Mumbai and Bengaluru emerged as the top options for the auctions, securing an appropriate venue has reportedly become challenging because the chosen timeframe overlaps with the country's festival and wedding season.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the previous edition of the IPL, which was also their maiden title victory in the tournament in 18 years. With the chatter around the retentions hyping up, it’ll be interesting to see how RCB shape their squad in their quest to defend the title and retain the crown.

The BCCI is likely to officially reveal the date and venue before November 15, which is the deadline for franchises to submit their list of retained and released players for IPL 2026. (IANS)