As the franchises are gearing up for the WPL 2026 season, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed the plans, with the retention deadline set for November 05 and the megaauction scheduled between November 25 and 29.
This is the first time the WPL is set for a shuffle in the squads. Since the commencement of the 2022 season, the WPL has been a successful one in women’s cricket. With completion of the first full cycle, the WPL mega auction is set to bring an array of new dynamics ahead of the WPL 2026 season.
The WPL will introduce the Right to Match (RTM) option for the first time. This will allow franchises to buy back players who featured in their 2025 squads.
According to the guidelines, each team can retain up to five players ahead of the auction (up to three capped Indian Players and up to two overseas players, and up to two uncapped players).
However, a team retaining a maximum of five players will lose the ability to use any RTM options. Retaining four players will permit one RTM, three players will give two RTMs, two players will offer three RTMs, and retaining just one players will allow four RTMs.
The BCCI has also revealed the auction purse for 2026 has been set at INR 15 crore, with fixes retention slabs providing a base value for retained players:
- INR 3.5 crore for Player 01
- INR 2.5 crore for Player 02
- INR 1.75 crore for Player 03
- INR 1 crore for Player 04
- INR 50 lakhs for Player 05
The retained players value will be deducted from auction purse – retaining five players will cose for INR 9.25 crore, four will cost INR 8.75 crore, three will cost INR 7.75 crore, two will cost INR 6 crore and one will be INR 3.5 crore.
Franchsies and players will have the flexibility to negotiate amounts different from the slab rates, but any amount above the guideline figure will be deducted from the purse.
Apart from the retention and RTM rules announcement, the WPL has also revealed the roadmap for the retention deadline, auction registrations and other things.
- November 5 – Deadline for player retention submissions.
- November 7 – Franchises to provide player lists for the auction pool.
- November 18 – Last date for player registrations.
- November 20 – Official auction player list to be released by the BCCI.
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