Key takeaways
- A squad has 18 to 25 players, with no more than eight from overseas.
- No more than four overseas players can be on the field at once — this shapes every playing XI.
- Before the 2025 mega auction, teams could keep up to six players through retentions and Right to Match.
- In a mini-auction an overseas player's fee is capped at ₹18 crore; anything above goes to a BCCI player welfare fund, but the full bid still comes out of the team's purse.
- The IPL 2027 auction is a mini-auction, reported for 16 December 2026 in Goa.
Squad rules at a glance
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Squad size | 18 to 25 players |
| Overseas players in the squad | Up to 8 |
| Overseas players on the field | Up to 4 |
| Substitutes named for each match | 5 (see the Impact Player rule) |
The four-overseas limit matters more for fantasy than any other squad rule. Every IPL playing XI has at most four overseas players, so a team with several overseas stars has to leave some of them out. When you check a team's likely XI, count the overseas players first — if a team already has four, a fifth overseas player you were planning to pick will not play.
The 2025–27 player regulations
The IPL Governing Council announced the player regulations for the current three-season cycle on 28 September 2024. The main points:
| Area | Rule |
|---|---|
| Retentions (before the 2025 mega auction) | Up to 6 players per team, through retention or the Right to Match (RTM) card |
| Capped / uncapped mix | At most 5 capped and 2 uncapped among those 6 |
| Auction purse (2025) | ₹120 crore |
| Total salary cap | ₹146 crore (2025), ₹151 crore (2026), ₹157 crore (2027) — purse plus performance pay and match fees |
| Match fee | ₹7.5 lakh per match for each member of the playing XI and the Impact Player, on top of the contract |
| Impact Player | Continues for the 2025–27 cycle (now under review — details) |
| Overseas registration | Overseas players had to register for the 2025 mega auction to be eligible for the next year's auction |
| Withdrawals | A player who is bought at auction and then pulls out before the season is banned from the IPL and the auction for two seasons |
What "uncapped" means
An uncapped player is one who has not played international cricket. Under the 2025–27 rules, an Indian player who has played for India counts as uncapped again if, in the five calendar years before the season, he has not played in India's starting XI in a Test, ODI or T20I and has not held a BCCI central contract. The rule only applies to Indian players.
For fantasy, "uncapped" is about price, not quality. Some uncapped players are regular starters who score heavily — check a player's role, not his label.
Mega auction vs mini-auction
| Mega auction | Mini-auction | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Once every three years (last before 2025) | In the seasons between |
| Retentions | Limited (up to 6 for 2025) | Teams keep everyone they don't release |
| Right to Match | Available | Not available |
| Squads | Largely rebuilt | A few gaps filled |
The IPL 2027 auction is a mini-auction. It is reported to take place on 16 December 2026 in Goa, with retention lists due on 17 November (moved from 15 November) — see IPL 2027 auction and retention dates. A mega auction is expected before the 2028 season.
The mini-auction pay cap for overseas players
In a mini-auction, an overseas player's salary cannot exceed the highest retention value, which is ₹18 crore. If a team bids more, the player is paid ₹18 crore and the difference goes to the BCCI's player welfare fund — but the full bid is still taken from the team's purse.
The best-known example came at the IPL 2026 auction in December 2025: Kolkata Knight Riders bought Cameron Green for ₹25.20 crore. Green's salary is ₹18 crore, the other ₹7.20 crore went to the welfare fund, and KKR's purse was charged the full ₹25.20 crore.
Together with the rule that overseas players must enter the mega auction, it is meant to stop players skipping the mega auction and then earning more in a mini-auction, where fewer players are available and prices can run high.
What these rules mean for fantasy players
- Count overseas players in every XI. Four is the limit, and some teams pick three so an overseas player can come in as the Impact Player. A big overseas name may be on the bench.
- Squad changes happen in two windows. The retention deadline and the auction decide who plays for whom. Trades can also happen until a week before the auction and again after it. Our team fantasy guides are updated after each step.
- New signings change roles. A batter who opened for one team may bat in the middle order for another. Check the new team's likely order before you pick him.
- Price tags are not fantasy value. An expensive buy may not bat in a high-scoring position; an uncapped player may open. Pick on role and conditions, not auction price.
Sources
- IPL, IPL Governing Council announces TATA IPL Player Regulations 2025-27, 28 September 2024.
- Wisden, Explained: The new IPL player regulations and their implications, 29 September 2024.
- Wisden, IPL 2026 auction: all you need to know — rules, squads, purses and slots, 15 December 2025.
- Business Today, Why Cameron Green won ₹25.20 crore but took home ₹18 crore, 16 December 2025.
- Wisden, Explained: IPL Impact Player.