The inaugural Karnataka Kabaddi Premier League (KKPL) 2026 player auction delivered plenty of excitement as franchises battled to sign the best talent ahead of the league’s first season. Held at the Koramangala Club in Bengaluru, the auction saw all eight teams build their 14-player squads within a ₹10 lakh purse limit.
The biggest headline came when star raider Sai Prasad became the highest-priced player of the auction. Here is a look at the Karnataka Kabaddi Premier League most expensive players and the biggest deals completed during the event.
KKPL 2026 Auction Top Buys
The inaugural auction featured aggressive bidding from all eight franchises, with several players attracting bids worth more than ₹2 lakh.
Here are the KKPL 2026 Auction top buys:
| Rank | Player | Franchise | Auction Price |
| 1 | Sai Prasad | Uttara Kannada Stallions | ₹3.60 lakh |
| 2 | Gagan Gowda | Hoysala Empire | ₹3.20 lakh |
| 3 | Sushil Kambrekar | Mangalore Indians | ₹2.90 lakh |
| 4 | Vishwash S | Vijayapura Lions | ₹2.60 lakh |
| 5 | Vinod Naik | Uttara Kannada Stallions | ₹2.20 lakh |
| 6 | Manoj Gowda | Belagavi Bulls | ₹2.10 lakh |
| 7 | Abhishek S | Chalukya Sena Bagalkote | ₹2.00 lakh |
| 8 | Mohammad Afreed | Mangalore Indians | ₹2.00 lakh |
| 9 | Anand V | Chalukya Sena Bagalkote | ₹2.00 lakh |
| 10 | Ranjit Naik | Bengaluru Bisons | ₹2.00 lakh |
Sai Prasad Headlines the Auction
Leading the Karnataka Kabaddi Premier League most expensive players list is Sai Prasad, who was signed by Uttara Kannada Stallions for ₹3.60 lakh.
The talented raider sparked an intense bidding war before the Stallions secured his signature. His arrival is expected to strengthen the team’s attack and make them one of the favourites for the inaugural KKPL title.
The second-highest bid went to Gagan Gowda, who joined Hoysala Empire for ₹3.20 lakh, while Sushil Kambrekar completed the top three after being picked by Mangalore Indians for ₹2.90 lakh.
Strong Investments Across Franchises
The Karnataka Kabaddi Auction rankings also showed that franchises were keen to build balanced squads instead of relying on just one marquee player.
Uttara Kannada Stallions invested heavily by signing both Sai Prasad and Vinod Naik, while Mangalore Indians secured two players in the top ten with Sushil Kambrekar and Mohammad Afreed.
Similarly, Chalukya Sena Bagalkote added depth by acquiring Abhishek S and Anand V, both for ₹2 lakh. These signings could prove valuable during the long tournament.
Auction Highlights
Apart from the marquee names, the auction also featured Category B players. Abdul Nasir emerged as the most expensive player in this category after Mysuru Mahasenas signed him for ₹1.35 lakh.
Each of the eight participating teams worked within a ₹10 lakh salary purse to assemble a 14-player squad, making smart bidding and squad planning crucial.
The participating franchises are Uttara Kannada Stallions, Hoysala Empire, Mangalore Indians, Vijayapura Lions, Belagavi Bulls, Chalukya Sena Bagalkote, Bengaluru Bisons, and Mysuru Mahasenas.
A Promising Start for KKPL
The first-ever Karnataka Kabaddi Auction rankings have generated plenty of excitement ahead of the league’s debut season. The competitive bidding reflected the growing popularity of kabaddi in Karnataka and the ambition of every franchise to begin the tournament with a strong squad.
With several talented players securing impressive deals, the KKPL 2026 Auction top buys will now be under the spotlight as they look to justify their price tags and lead their teams in the race for the inaugural Karnataka Kabaddi Premier League title.
