WPL 2026: New guidelines announced for player retention, RTM to be allowed for first time
The Women's Premier League (WPL) is gearing up for a high-stakes 2026 season, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirming the rules and timelines for player retentions and the upcoming mega auction. As per the latest update, each franchise will be allowed to retain a maximum of five players before heading into the auction, with the retention deadline set for November 5.
According to communication shared with the franchises, the retention rules allow teams to retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indian players. However, if a franchise chooses to retain the full quota of five players, at least one must be an uncapped Indian.
In a new development, the WPL will now allow the use of the Right-to-Match (RTM) card for the first time. This gives franchises the option to buy back a player they had in the 2025 season. However, the number of RTMs available depends on the number of retentions. For example, if a team retains all five players, it forfeits the RTM option. On the other hand, if only one player is retained, the team can use up to four RTMs at the auction.
Auction purse set at INR 15 crore
The WPL has also finalised the auction purse at INR 15 crore for each team. Retention slabs have been introduced, ranging from INR 3.5 crore for the first player down to INR 50 lakh for the fifth. The total deduction from the purse varies based on the number of players retained, from INR 3.5 crore for one retention to INR 9.25 crore for five.
Franchises can negotiate player salaries beyond the suggested slab values, but the agreed amount will be deducted from their purse. For uncapped Indian players, the minimum salary is set at INR 50 lakh, with the potential for higher amounts through mutual agreement.
Key dates include the retention list submission by November 5, auction list submission by November 7, player registration by November 18, and release of the final auction list by November 20. The auction itself is scheduled between November 25 and 29.
