The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council convened in Bengaluru to lay out the player regulations for the 2025-27 seasons, which take on added importance with the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. In a pivotal decision, all ten franchises will have the option to retain as many as six players from their current squads ahead of the auction, with an important stipulation that at least one of these retained players must be uncapped.

Under the newly established rules, the choice of which players to retain can be made through either retention directly or by utilizing the Right to Match (RTM) mechanism. The combination of retained and RTM players is flexible; however, teams can hold no more than five capped players—comprising both domestic and international athletes—and a maximum of two uncapped players.

The IPL has fixed the auction purse for each franchise at INR 120 Crore for the upcoming season. This figure contributes to a total salary cap that also accounts for performance pay and match fees, which has increased from Rs. 110 Crore in 2024 to Rs. 146 Crore for 2025. This figure will continue to rise in subsequent years, reaching Rs. 151 Crore in 2026 and Rs. 157 Crore in 2027.

In a notable first for the IPL, a match fee will be introduced, allowing each playing member, including the Impact Player, to earn INR 7.5 Lakhs for every match played, in addition to their contracted salary. To ensure a competitive landscape, overseas players must register for the auction, with the stipulation that failing to do so renders them ineligible for future auctions.

Furthermore, players who register for the auction but become unavailable after being selected will face a two-season ban from both the tournament and player auctions. Additionally, a regulation clarifies that an Indian capped player may be classified as uncapped if they have not participated in any international matches or held a Central Contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) within the past five years. Lastly, the regulation regarding the Impact Player will remain in place for the upcoming seasons.