The highly anticipated IPL 2025 mega-auction is scheduled for November 24-25 at the Abady Al Johar Arena (also known as Benchmark Arena) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks only the second time that an IPL auction is being held overseas, following the IPL 2024 auction, which took place at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.
Change of Venue to Jeddah
Initially, the auction was set to be held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. However, the BCCI made a last-minute switch to Jeddah, located about 10 hours southwest of Riyadh, reportedly due to logistical considerations and Abady Al Johar Arena’s larger capacity.
The BCCI informed all stakeholders of the change, also noting that the Shangri-La Hotel, located just 10 minutes from the auction venue, will be the designated accommodation for all attendees. The board has assured that its operations team will handle all necessary visa and logistical arrangements.
Auction Overlap with India vs. Australia Test
The auction coincides with India’s first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Perth, scheduled to begin on November 22. This means that the auction will overlap with days three and four of the Test. However, given the 2.5-hour time difference between India and Saudi Arabia, authorities are expected to schedule the auction outside the Test’s playing hours to avoid any conflicts.
Player Registrations and Final List
A record 1,574 players registered for the auction, including 1,165 Indian and 409 overseas players. Among these, 320 are capped players, 1,224 are uncapped, and 30 are from Associate Nations. This initial list will be narrowed down closer to the auction, with only players who receive franchise interest going under the hammer.
With the event set in Jeddah, the IPL 2025 auction is expected to bring global attention to Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in international sports.
