The schedule for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) auction is getting nearer, with the players being sold on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. The teams have started to plan actively and are going to make additions based on the strategy. The retention lists have already been announced by the teams in early November.
On the other hand, the IPL 2026 auction is being considered a mini auction, which means that there will be some rule changes from the last mega auction. The most significant change will be the impact of IPL 2026 Retention Rules on each team’s RTM availability.
The RTMs are very important in the process of granting players back to the franchises and making the auction’s dynamics. But the big issue still is that – Is there RTM in IPL 2026 Auction?
How Will IPL 2026 Retention Rules Affect RTM availability?
The RTM rule, which was removed from the 2022 season, came back for the 2025 mega-auction but under certain terms. The number of RTMs allocated was based on the number of retentions done by the franchise. If a franchise made all six retentions which was the maximum allowed then they would have 0 RTMs. Thus it was more like a mirror image of the number of slots that were not used.
In the upcoming 2026 auction, however, the IPL 2026 Retention Rules mention no limit on minimum retentions, thereby there will be no RTMs. Each team can freely decide on the number of retentions and releases before the auction. The maximum squad size of 25 players with no more than eight overseas signings is mandatory for each team.
Hence, the sole method through which a squad can get back a player whom they have set free is by continuously outbidding other teams and offering the highest amount. The non-existence of RTMs in the mini auction also guarantees that no team gains an extra edge, particularly when their resources are limited compared to a mega auction.
Cap on Overseas player earnings
One more of the major IPL 2026 auction regulations will be the limitation placed on the income of foreign players. The maximum amount that an international player can earn will be the lesser of the two amounts between the maximum retention price and the maximum price at the last mega auction. This regulation was enacted in order to stop the practice of using the international players who previously used to avoid the mega-auction and come back only for the mini-auction to get the highest price.
As a result, during the IPL 2026 auction, an international player is going to be able to take home a maximum sum of INR 18 crores, even though Rishabh Pant was sold for INR 27 crores. The reasoning behind this is that the maximum retention amount was INR 18 crores and thus the lower value of the two numbers is considered.