Auction Date: November 24-25, 2025
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| Auction Dates |
November 24-25, 2025 |
| Location |
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Retention Fee Deadline |
October 31 (incurs $240K fee) |
| Broadcasting Challenge |
India vs Australia Test match scheduled for the same dates |
| Possible Auction Timing |
Afternoon in Riyadh, equivalent to morning in Perth |
| Expected BCCI Announcement |
Confirmation on timing |
This international location for the auction is new as IPL seems to start its journey towards selling franchises across the globe.
This is expected to generate excitement amongst the fans as people wait for the finality of details that has to come from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
As all the ten franchises revealed their retention players list recently, the new teams are ready for the auctions to build a squad as per the upcoming season’s need.
These retention decisions got a lot of attention since many teams retained their key players but let go of others in similar fashion.
Related Article: IPL 2025 Retention: A Strategic Game Changer
Interesting auction in the cards
The auction provides the kind of buzz that interests and drives engagement, but the format does present one significant scheduling issue.
The auction dates coincide with India’s first Test match in Australia in Perth – November 22-26.
This is a challenge is particularly well-suited for Disney Star, which owns the broadcasting rights for both IPL as well as India-Australia series.
Since fans follow both events keenly, Disney Star has to navigate how it can proceed without interruption.
One of the options which are currently actively discussed is to conduct the auction in the afternoon, while the time in Riyadh will be equivalent to morning in Perth.
Such an arrangement would ensure that both events were on live television without the interruption of any form of transmission.
Fans of cricket could tune both to the auction and in duplicates to the Test match action without disappointing the pluralistic audience.
Official announcement is expected shortly from BCCI.
Soon, the BCCI is expected to give a statement about the auction process, with regard to clarification on time of auction, and the points that rose regarding the clashes of timings.
The transition to an overseas ground such as Riyadh is a monumental one and franchises are pushing the BCCI for confirmation on the dates as well.
This will give enough prepare time for the teams to get a proper travel plan and schedules as well.
The existence of the $240k retention fee ascending on October 31 also introduced pressure, as franchises hope to confirm their retained players before the auction.
Given the availability of household names, teams have an opportunity to re-organize their approach and aim at acquiring the individuals that can fill remaining voids on rosters.
While fans along with the teams and broadcasters wait and get edgy for the BCCI confirmation. This IPL auction is set to be historical one as far as the venue of the auction is concerned and as far as 2025 season of IPL is concern.
References:
Hindustantimes.com
TheHindu.com
