WPL 2026 Mega Auction: Franchises Allowed to Retain Up to Five Players
In a major development ahead of the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) season, the BCCI has confirmed that each franchise will be allowed to retain up to five players ahead of the mega auction scheduled between November 26 and 29.
According to a circular sent to franchises and accessed by Cricbuzz, teams can retain players through direct retention or the Right to Match (RTM) option. Each team has been allocated a total purse of INR 15 crore to construct their squads for the upcoming season.
Key Retention Rules:
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Maximum of five players can be retained per team.
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Teams can retain up to three Indian capped players, two overseas players, or two uncapped Indian players.
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If all five retentions are used, at least one must be an uncapped player.
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The deadline for finalising retentions is November 5.
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The player registration window closes on November 18, with the final list to be released on November 20.
Retention Price Structure:
The retained players will carry fixed salary slabs, with deductions made from the team purse accordingly:
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Retention 1: INR 3.50 crore
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Retention 2: INR 2.50 crore
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Retention 3: INR 1.75 crore
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Retention 4: INR 1 crore
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Retention 5: INR 50 lakh
For instance, a team retaining five players will have INR 9.25 crore deducted from their purse and will not receive any RTM cards. Conversely, teams retaining fewer players will have more funds available for the auction and will receive more RTM options.
Retention and Purse Breakdown:
| Retained Players | RTMs Available | Purse Deduction (INR Cr) | Auction Purse Remaining (INR Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 9.25 | 5.75 |
| 4 | 1 | 8.75 | 6.25 |
| 3 | 2 | 7.75 | 7.25 |
| 2 | 3 | 6.00 | 9.00 |
| 1 | 4 | 3.50 | 11.50 |
| 0 | 5 | 0.00 | 15.00 |
Franchises also have the flexibility to offer higher salaries than the listed slabs to their retained players, but any excess payment will be deducted from their remaining purse.
The upcoming auction is expected to bring significant changes to team rosters as franchises look to strike a balance between retaining core players and investing in new talent. With the WPL’s rising popularity, the 2026 season promises high competition and strategic team building.