The Board of Control for Cricket in India has officially designated Goa as the destination for this year’s IPL auction. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the decision on Wednesday, September 23, noting that the event is slated for mid-December. While the precise schedule remains pending, Saikia indicated that the proceedings are tentatively expected to occur between December 14 and 16. Given the nature of the upcoming event as a smaller auction, it is anticipated to be concluded within a single day.
This shift represents a change in strategy for the league, which held its previous three auctions in international locations such as Dubai, Jeddah, and Abu Dhabi. The Governing Council opted to return the event to India following direct feedback from the majority of IPL franchises. To facilitate this, the board prioritized securing a five-star venue capable of hosting over 100 guests to accommodate the significant delegations from each of the ten competing teams. Potential mega auctions in future years may once again be staged abroad.
Goa previously served as the auction site for the tournament’s second season in 2009. That historical session is often remembered for record-breaking bids, notably the USD 1.55 million price tags for English stars Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, who were signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings, respectively. The 2009 event also gained notoriety for a high-stakes bidding war involving Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings for Mashrafe Mortaza. Mortaza was eventually secured by the Knight Riders for USD 600,000, jumping from a USD 50,000 base price with co-owner Shah Rukh Khan present at the table.
Separately, the BCCI has scheduled the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction to take place in Kochi on October 28. The report also notes that representing the large delegations of the 10 IPL franchises, the BCCI’s first priority was finding a venue which was a five-star hotel that could accommodate over 100 guests.
