The TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction will take place on Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi, with franchises set to compete for 77 available slots across the ten teams ahead of the new season.

A total purse of approximately $28.6 million will be available at the auction, where teams will look to fine-tune their squads following the completion of player retentions.

With squad sizes capped at 25 players, franchises are expected to focus on filling specialised T20 roles, particularly in the bowling department, making for intense bidding battles.

Kolkata Knight Riders will enter the auction with the largest remaining purse, holding around $7.75 million, positioning them as a key influencer in how the bidding unfolds. Chennai Super Kings follow with a sizeable budget of about $5.23 million, while Sunrisers Hyderabad have roughly $3.07 million available.

Other teams’ remaining budgets include Lucknow Super Giants with approximately $2.76 million, Delhi Capitals at $2.63 million, Royal Challengers Bengaluru with $1.98 million, and Rajasthan Royals close behind at $1.93 million. Gujarat Titans will have about $1.55 million, Punjab Kings around $1.39 million, while Mumbai Indians enter the auction with the smallest purse of roughly $330,000.

The auction is expected to draw strong interest in young domestic talent alongside established international players. One of the emerging names to watch is 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Kartik Sharma, who has impressed in domestic cricket with a century on debut and a rapid 100 in the one-day format, making him a potential long-term middle-order option for franchises.

Afghanistan making its mark again

With the auction list now finalised, Afghanistan’s presence remains a key talking point, with 10 Afghan players shortlisted among the 359 names set to go under the hammer in Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan has been one of the most impactful overseas contributors to the IPL in recent years, particularly in the spin and fast-bowling departments, and franchises are once again expected to show strong interest in Afghan talent.

Among the headline names is Mujeeb Rahman, who features in the top base-price bracket and remains one of the most sought-after mystery spinners in T20 cricket. Naveen-ul-Haq, known for his variations at the death, is another prominent Afghan name likely to attract bidding interest, especially from teams looking to strengthen their pace options.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, listed at a mid-range base price, offers explosive starts at the top of the order and wicketkeeping depth, making him a valuable multi-skill option.

The Afghan contingent also includes Fazalhaq Farooqi, whose left-arm pace and ability to swing the new ball have earned him recognition across global leagues, as well as Mohammad Waqar Salamkheil and Qais Ahmad, both proven spin options in T20 formats.

All-rounder Gulbadin Naib adds further balance with his experience and lower-order hitting, while young batting talent Sediqullah Atal represents the next generation of Afghan cricketers pushing for an IPL breakthrough.

At the other end of the spectrum is Wahidullah Zadran, the youngest player in the auction at just over 18 years old. His inclusion underlines the growing depth of Afghanistan’s cricket pipeline and the IPL’s continued role as a platform for emerging Afghan players to gain global exposure.

As franchises compete to fill the remaining 77 slots within tight purse constraints, Afghan players are once again expected to be in demand for their adaptability, value-for-money skill sets, and proven performances in pressure situations. For Afghanistan cricket, the IPL 2026 auction represents not just commercial opportunity, but another significant step in cementing the country’s influence on the global T20 stage.

The IPL 2026 season is scheduled to begin in the second half of March next year, and the Abu Dhabi auction is seen as a critical step in shaping team combinations for the campaign. Fans worldwide will be closely watching to see which franchises make the smartest moves as bidding wars and late surprises unfold.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) will broadcast the auction live across Afghanistan on Tuesday, allowing fans in the country to follow the proceedings in real time.

The winners of The Best FIFA Football Award 2025 will be announced on Tuesday, 16 December, during a gala ceremony in Doha, Qatar, FIFA has confirmed.

The tenth edition of the awards will be held at the FIFA Celebration 2025 Dinner, at the Fairmont Katara Hall, on the eve of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 202 final between Paris Saint-Germain and CR Flamengo at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

The event will be broadcast across Afghanistan on Ariana Television. Broadcast times are still to be confirmed.

The ceremony will bring together around 800 guests, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino, members of the FIFA Council, FIFA Legends, representatives of member associations, and prominent figures from the global football community.

Awards for the best players and coaches in women’s and men’s football will be revealed during the evening, while winners in categories such as best fans, goalkeepers and goals will be announced earlier through digital videos on FIFA platforms and social media. The recipient of the FIFA Fair Play Award will also be revealed.

Fans have played a central role in determining the winners, casting more than 16 million votes across several categories.

Major awards, including The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Player, and the top coaching and goalkeeping honors, were decided through an equally weighted voting system involving fans, national team captains and coaches, and media representatives.

Fans also took part in selecting The Best FIFA Women’s 11 and Men’s 11. Voting for the FIFA Marta Award and the FIFA Puskás Award, which recognize the best goals in women’s and men’s football, was shared equally between fans and a panel of FIFA Legends.

The FIFA Fan Award was decided entirely by supporters, while the FIFA Fair Play Award was chosen by an expert panel.

Updated information will be provided to fans across Afghanistan ahead of the event. Fans can ‘stay tuned’ to Ariana News web site and social media platforms as well as Ariana Television’s social media platforms.

Lionel Messi’s tour of India kicked off chaotically on Saturday as fans threw objects, ripped up seats and invaded the pitch at Kolkata’s Salt Lake stadium after the Argentine soccer great made only a brief appearance at a ticketed event.

Satadru Dutta, the event’s chief organiser, has been detained by police, said Rajeev Kumar, director general of West Bengal police, Reuters reported.

Messi was scheduled for a 45-minute visit to the stadium, but his appearance lasted just 20 minutes. Tickets for the event were priced from around 3,500 rupees ($38.65) – more than half of average weekly income in India – but one fan said he had paid $130.

Fans in the Salt Lake stadium in the capital of the Eastern state of West Bengal threw ripped-up seats and other objects onto the field, while several people climbed a fence around the field and hurled objects.

“I can’t believe there was so much mismanagement,” said Eddie Lal Hmangaihzuala, who had travelled nearly 1,500 km from Mizoram over two days to attend the event.

“Messi left quickly, I think he felt unsafe. I hardly got a glimpse of him,” he told Reuters.

The organisers of the tour did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

“We’ve already detained the main organiser,” Rajeev Kumar told reporters. “We’re taking action so that this mismanagement does not go unpunished.

“He has already pledged in writing that tickets sold for the event should be refunded,” he added.

CHIEF MINISTER APOLOGISES, ORDERS PROBE

Messi is in India as part of a tour during which he is scheduled to attend concerts, youth football clinics and a padel tournament, and to launch charitable initiatives at events in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.

The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, apologised to Messi and ordered a probe into the incident.

“I am deeply disturbed and shocked by the mismanagement witnessed today at Salt Lake stadium,” Banerjee, who was on her way to the event when chaos broke out, posted on X.

“I sincerely apologise to Lionel Messi, as well as to all sports lovers and his fans, for the unfortunate incident,” she said.

She said she was constituting a committee to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident, assign responsibility, and recommend measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

West Bengal, Kerala and Goa states have long had large soccer followings in otherwise cricket-crazed India.

Multiple incidents of fan riots have taken place at Salt Lake stadium, including during a Kolkata derby match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in 2012 which was abandoned after a brick thrown from the stands hit a player, seriously injuring him.

Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona twice visited Kolkata, and in 2017 unveiled a statue there of himself holding the World Cup in the presence of thousands of fans.

Messi, who captained Argentina for the first time in a friendly match at the Salt Lake stadium in a 1-0 win over Venezuela in 2011, virtually unveiled a 70-foot statue of himself in Kolkata earlier on Saturday.