The IPL 2027 retention deadline is Sunday, 15 November 2026. By that day, all 10 franchises have to submit the list of players they are keeping and the players they are releasing before the mini auction in Goa on 16 December.
Here is the full timeline, the retention rules for a mini auction, how many players a team can keep and what happens to the players who are let go.
When Is the IPL 2027 Retention Deadline?
Teams must hand in their retained and released lists by 15 November 2026. The lists are usually made public the same evening, as they were on deadline day last year, so fans will know who stays and who goes before the end of that weekend.
The 15 November date has been widely reported, and the formal notice with the exact cut-off time usually reaches the teams closer to the day.
IPL 2027 Off-Season Timeline
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 23 June 2026 | First trade of the window: Rishabh Pant moves back to Delhi Capitals, Kuldeep Yadav joins Lucknow Super Giants |
| 14 October 2026 | Second trade: T Natarajan returns to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Zeeshan Ansari joins Delhi Capitals |
| Until 15 November 2026 | Trade window open, teams can swap players or buy them for cash |
| Sunday, 15 November 2026 | Retention deadline: retained and released lists submitted |
| About 9 December 2026 | Trade window closes, a week before the auction |
| Tuesday, 15 December 2026 | Auction briefing for all 10 franchises |
| Wednesday, 16 December 2026 | IPL 2027 mini auction at ITC Grand Goa |
| About 23 December 2026 | Trade window reopens, a week after the auction |
| 10 March to 15 May 2027 | Season window the BCCI is planning for IPL 2027 |
The 2027 auction is also a homecoming. It is the first IPL auction in India since 2022, after Dubai, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi hosted the last three.
How Many Players Can a Team Retain for IPL 2027?
There is no fixed limit. Because IPL 2027 has a mini auction, each team can keep as many players as it wants.
The only limit is the squad size. Every IPL squad must have between 18 and 25 players, and no more than eight of them can be overseas players. So a team that keeps 22 players can only buy three at the auction.
The six-player cap you may remember applied only to the IPL 2025 mega auction, when teams had to rebuild almost from scratch.
IPL 2027 Retention Rules at a Glance
| Rule | IPL 2027 mini auction |
|---|---|
| Retention limit | None, teams can keep any number of players |
| Squad size | 18 to 25 players |
| Overseas players | Up to 8 per squad |
| Right to Match cards | Not used in a mini auction |
| Retained players’ salaries | Taken out of the team’s auction money |
| Total salary cap for 2027 | ₹157 crore (auction purse, performance pay and match fees together) |
| Released players | Go into the auction pool if they register |
| Trades | Allowed until about a week before the auction, then again after it |
The total salary cap has grown every season of this cycle: ₹146 crore in 2025, ₹151 crore in 2026 and ₹157 crore in 2027.
What Happens to Released Players?
Released players do not disappear. If they register for the auction, they go into the pool and any team can bid for them, including the team that let them go.
Teams often release expensive players and try to buy them back for less. That is why the big names on 15 November are the ones to watch, because they decide how much money each team has for Goa.
There is one more rule that shapes the bidding for overseas stars. In a mini auction, an overseas player can be paid at most ₹18 crore a season. If a team bids more, the extra money goes to a player welfare fund instead of the player. Cameron Green went to Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.20 crore last year, but he is paid ₹18 crore.
Is IPL 2027 a Mega Auction or a Mini Auction?
IPL 2027 has a mini auction. It is the last auction of the current three-year cycle, which started with the mega auction before IPL 2025.
The next mega auction, when teams have to release almost everyone, is expected before IPL 2028. We explain the difference in our guide to whether the IPL 2027 auction is mega or mini.
What Happened at Last Year’s Retention Deadline?
The IPL 2026 deadline was also 15 November. It was one of the busiest days the league has had.
| IPL 2026 off-season | What happened |
|---|---|
| Biggest trade | Sanju Samson moved to Chennai Super Kings, with Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran going to Rajasthan Royals |
| Other trades | Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants, Shardul Thakur to Mumbai Indians, Nitish Rana to Delhi Capitals |
| Big releases | Andre Russell (KKR), Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Matheesha Pathirana (CSK), David Miller and Ravi Bishnoi (LSG) |
| Auction | 16 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi |
| Most expensive buy | Cameron Green to KKR for ₹25.20 crore, a record for an overseas player |
Pathirana was released by Chennai and then bought by Kolkata for ₹18 crore at the same auction. Expect similar stories this year.
Trades Already Done for IPL 2027
The biggest move of this off-season happened in June. Rishabh Pant returned to Delhi Capitals on a reduced fee of ₹15 crore, down from the record ₹27 crore Lucknow paid for him, and Kuldeep Yadav joined Lucknow Super Giants on his existing contract.
The swap leaves Lucknow with much more money to spend in Goa, after Pant stepped down as their captain in May.
The second deal came on 14 October. T Natarajan went back to Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he played from 2020 to 2024, on a reduced fee of ₹5 crore, down from the ₹10.75 crore Delhi paid for him. Leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari moved to Delhi Capitals on his existing ₹40 lakh fee. That frees ₹10.35 crore for Delhi and costs Sunrisers ₹4.6 crore of their auction money.
More trades usually arrive in the days before the deadline.
Which Teams Will Make the Biggest Changes?
Every franchise has its own decisions to make before 15 November. Our team guides look at the players each side is likely to keep and release, with salaries and purse calculations:
- RCB retained and released players for IPL 2027
- CSK retained and released players for IPL 2027
- DC retained and released players for IPL 2027
- IPL 2027 auction in Goa: date and details
IPL 2027 Retention: Quick Answers
What is the last date for IPL 2027 retention?
Sunday, 15 November 2026. Teams must submit their retained and released players by then.
How many players can be retained for IPL 2027?
There is no limit. Teams can keep any number of players as long as the squad stays between 18 and 25 players with no more than eight overseas players.
When is the IPL 2027 auction?
Wednesday, 16 December 2026, at ITC Grand Goa. It is a one-day mini auction.
When will IPL 2027 start?
The BCCI is planning a window from 10 March to 15 May 2027, with 74 matches. The full schedule is usually announced a few weeks before the season.
