IPL 2026 auction: Can franchises avail "RTM" card? Explained

IPL 2026 auction will be held on Tuesday (December 16) in Abu Dhabi.

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025. One topic has dominated fan discussions and franchise boardrooms ahead of the thrilling event: would teams be permitted to use the Right To Match (RTM) card?

The IPL will now revert to a small auction model, where clubs refine their rosters rather than starting from scratch, after the high-profile two-day mega auction in Jeddah last year. The deadline for teams to decide and declare which players they would keep was November 15.

While some teams, like the Mumbai Indians (MI), have mostly supported continuity and are anticipated to make only a few additions, others, like the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), have opted to drastically restructure their squads, freeing up major portions of their budget.

What is the Right To Match card?

By matching the highest bid made by another team during the auction, a franchise can regain a former player using the Right To Match card. RTM, which was first introduced prior to IPL 2014 mega auction, developed into a potent tool in 2018 as well, allowing teams to strike a balance between flexibility and retention limits.

However, prior to IPL 2022, RTM was phased out and is now only used for mega auctions. The IPL Governing Council has reaffirmed that the regulation will not apply to future mini auctions, including IPL 2026, despite fan conjecture.

Will franchises be allowed to use ‘Right To Match’ cards?

In accordance with established auction regulations and strategic frameworks, the IPL Governing Council has confirmed that RTM cards will not be included in the IPL 2026 mini auction. The logic stems from the structure of auctions.

Teams must make difficult decisions and rely on RTM cards to safeguard their core because mega auctions limit the number of players a team can retain.

In contrast, clubs can keep as many players as they choose before the bidding process starts in mini auctions. The RTM process is superfluous because teams already have control over squad continuity prior to a mini auction.

The goal of purse-based strategy and competition would be undermined, and bidding dynamics would be distorted, if RTM were permitted in this format. Without RTM cards, franchises must rely purely on planning, purse management, and sharp bidding instincts.

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