How the mock auction works
The 2026 season is a mini-auction cycle: ten franchises keep most of their squads and go to the room to fill the gaps. In the simulator you choose one of the ten, see the purse and open slots you start with, and bid lot by lot as players come up. The other nine franchises are run by AI war rooms that chase their own needs, so a player you want can be pushed well above his base price.
The rules are the IPL's: a salary purse, a squad you have to fill, and no more than four overseas players in a playing XI. Once the auction closes you pick your XI and captain the season match by match, or hand the games to the engine and watch the table.
Want to compare with the real thing? Every lot from every real auction is in the IPL auction archive.
Auction tips
- Decide your overseas picks early. Four slots go quickly and the best all-rounders are scarce.
- Do not spend the purse on the first big name. A mini auction is won on the fifth to ninth players you buy.
- Know the rules before you bid: read the guides on how IPL auctions work and the overseas player rules.
- Want a human opponent? Try IPL Versus, a live 1v1 draft with a friend.
Questions
- What is the IPL 2026 auction simulator?
- A free mock auction. You pick an IPL franchise, enter the 2026 auction with its purse and squad needs, and bid for real players against AI war rooms that behave like the other nine teams.
- Is it free, and do I need an account?
- It is free and runs in your browser. You can play signed out; signing in with Google saves your dynasty across devices.
- Can I play with friends?
- Yes. IPL Versus is a live 1v1 snake draft against a shared purse, and you can send a friend a room link.
- Can I go back to older auctions?
- Yes. The same mode covers all 19 IPL seasons from 2008 to 2026, from the first auction in 2008 to the latest. Browse every real lot in the IPL auction archive.