ILT20 2026 Player Auction is set to take place in Dubai on Thursday, October 1, 2026, with all six franchises preparing to complete their squads for the upcoming season. The auction will be held at the ICC Academy indoor facility, following the pre-auction signing process completed by the teams in August.
More than 800 players from 20 countries registered for the auction, with the pool being shortlisted to around 200 players. Season 5 of the six-team, 34-match competition will be played from November 21 to December 20, 2026, across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.
ILT20 Auction 2026: Date, Time, Venue and Key Details
The ILT20 Auction 2026 will be held on October 1, 2026, at the ICC Academy indoor facility in Dubai. The six participating franchises are Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz.
Each franchise can have between 18 and 23 players, while one additional Wildcard signing can be made after the auction. The player pool is expected to be around 200 after more than 800 registrations were received from 20 countries. The auction follows the pre-auction signing process, with each franchise permitted four such signings.
The official material currently available does not confirm the auction’s start time or where the auction itself will be broadcast. ZEE is the league’s broadcast partner for the tournament, while the ILT20’s official website has confirmed season coverage arrangements separately.
ILT20 Auction 2026 Purse and Rules: How Will the Auction Work?
The six franchises will enter the auction with significant spending power. Each team gets a US$1.3 million auction purse, in addition to any unused amount from the US$700,000 that was available for direct signings and retentions. The remaining balance from that earlier pool will be announced for each franchise before the auction.
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Auction purse | US$1.3 million per franchise |
| Additional funds | Unused balance from US$700,000 direct signing/retention pool |
| Minimum total spend | US$1.5 million |
| Maximum total spend | US$2 million |
| Squad size | 18-23 players |
| Full Member players | Minimum 11 |
| Afghanistan | At least 4 players |
| Ireland | At least 1 player |
| UAE | Minimum 4 players |
| Kuwait | Minimum 1 player |
| Saudi Arabia | Minimum 1 player |
| Other Associate nations | At least 1 player |
| Base prices | US$10,000, US$40,000, US$80,000 |
| Right to Match | 4 per franchise |
The base price for players will be either US$10,000, US$40,000 or US$80,000. Afghanistan and Ireland players can select from those levels subject to additional eligibility conditions. An Afghanistan or Ireland player seeking a US$80,000 base price must have at least 100 <a href="https://cricket.international/former-csk-lsg-pacer-announces-retirement-from-international-cricket-says-it-was-not-a-surprise/” title=”Former CSK, LSG pacer announces retirement from international cricket, says it was 'not a surprise'”>international caps across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia players have a US$10,000 base price.
The auction itself will be divided into sets based on player status and specialisation. Each set will contain six to 10 players, with players drawn randomly. Bids will then continue until there are no further offers. The bidding increments will be US$2,000 between US$10,000 and US$50,000, US$5,000 between US$50,000 and US$100,000, and US$10,000 once the bidding reaches US$100,000 or more.
Each franchise will also have four Right-to-Match cards. These cover one Full Member player from Season 4, one Associate player from Season 4, one UAE player who represented the franchise in Season 4 or its 2026 Development Tournament squad, and one Kuwait or Saudi Arabia player from Season 4. The cards are optional rather than compulsory.
After the main sets are completed, franchises with available squad space can request up to eight players from the Accelerated Set. The auction will conclude once all six teams have met their minimum spending and squad-composition requirements and do not wish to make further purchases. A Wildcard player can be added after the auction.
ILT20 Auction 2026: Teams, Pre-Auction Signings and Players to Watch
The six ILT20 franchises have already made their pre-auction moves, with several established T20 stars secured before the October 1 event. Each team was permitted four pre-auction signings, leaving the auction to fill the remaining squad positions and meet the mandatory UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Ireland and wider Associate-player requirements.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders have signed Finn Allen, Jason Holder and Matthew Tromp, while Sunil Narine returns to the squad. Desert Vipers, the defending champions, have Andries Gous, Dan Lawrence, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman and Shimron Hetmyer among their pre-auction selections.
Dubai Capitals have brought in Marcus Stoinis and Noor Ahmad, while Mustafizur Rahman and Rovman Powell return. Gulf Giants have added David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen, with Azmatullah Omarzai and Blessing Muzarabani also returning.
MI Emirates retain Nicholas Pooran, Rashid Khan and Romario Shepherd, while Sherfane Rutherford joins as a pre-auction signing. Sharjah Warriorz have secured Adam Milne, James Vince and Waqar Salamkheil, with Sikandar Raza returning.
Source: cricketaddictor.com
