The Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction is expected to take place on November 24 and 25 in Saudi Arabia, though there is no official confirmation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) about the same. The board is currently exploring these options and is expected to announce the schedule in a few days.

A potential issue before the BCCI authorities is that the proposed dates coincide with India's first Test match in Australia, scheduled to be held in Perth from November 22 to 26. The match will be shown on Disney Star, which is one of the official broadcasters of the IPL too. Ideally, all parties want to avoid any overlap.

Owing to the time difference with Australia, there is unlikely to be any clash between the match and the auction proceedings, as the auction could begin in the afternoon, Indian Standard Time.

It is understood that a few BCCI officials have already visited Saudi Arabia, with another batch expected to depart for the Gulf kingdom on Monday. The BCCI have narrowed down the potential venues to Riyadh and Jeddah, with Riyadh, the capital city, being the most likely host city for the event.

The BCCI had explored a few other places, like Dubai, Singapore and London. At one stage, there was even talk of Vienna but Saudi Arabia is believed to have been zeroed in and the BCCI have also identified a place that can be venue for the two-day mega auction.

Given the choice, the franchises would prefer the auction to be held in India. However, with an Indian city no longer an option, the teams are urging the BCCI to announce the venue as soon as possible so they can make travel arrangements for the delegation members who will participate in the auction. Before that, the franchises must submit their respective player retention lists, with the deadline set for 5 PM on October 31.