WPL 2026 retention: Deadline date, rules, price slab, available purse

WPL 2026 mega auction is set to take place in the last week of November, with November 5 being the deadline to name the retentions. Each franchise will have a ₹15 crore purse to rebuild its squad.

After the Indian women's team won their maiden ICC title, the focus now shifts to the mega auction for the Women's Premier League (WPL). The mega auction is set to take place in the last week of November, with November 5 being the deadline to name the retentions.

 

Ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction the governing council of the WPL allowed each franchise of the five franchisees to retain up to five players. If any WPL team doesn't retain a player till the deadline date, then they can use the right to match option (RTM) at the auction. The franchisees are expected to reveal their retentions by 5 PM IST on November 5.

 

What is the available purse for each WPL team?

 

Each franchise will have a ₹15 crore purse to rebuild its squad for the upcoming season.

 

What are the retention rules and player price slabs?

 

Under the revised rules, franchises can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, or two uncapped Indian players. If a team opts to retain all five players, then at least one must be an uncapped Indian cricketer.

 

Retention price slabs:

• Retention 1: ₹3.50 crore
• Retention 2: ₹2.50 crore
• Retention 3: ₹1.75 crore
• Retention 4: ₹1 crore
• Retention 5: ₹50 lakh

 

This means a team retaining five players will have ₹9.25 crore deducted from its purse and will not be eligible for any RTM cards. Teams retaining four players will lose ₹8.75 crore but can use one RTM, while those with three retentions will have two RTMs.

 

Each uncapped player retained will cost ₹50 lakh, and franchises are free to pay players more than the slab rate, with the excess deducted from their total purse.

 

When is the registration deadline for WPL 2026?

 

The BCCI has set November 18 as the last date for player registrations, while the final list of players eligible for the auction will be released on November 20.

 

What are the WPL 2026 schedule and format details?

 

According to The Times of India, the WPL 2026 season is expected to begin on January 6 or 8, slightly earlier than previous editions. Sources quoted by TOI said that the advancement of the tournament also necessitated moving the auction from December to November.

 

The 4th edition of WPL is expected to be pre-poned as India is set to host T20 World Cup 2026 along with Sri Lanka in February-March. Usually, WPL has been held before the start of Indian Premier League in March-April.

 

The upcoming season will see five franchises compete in a round-robin format, featuring around 22 matches across four to five weeks. The top three teams after the league phase will qualify for the knockout stage, culminating in the grand final to determine the champions.

 

What does the new structure mean for franchises?

 

The retention and RTM rules are expected to bring balance between squad stability and auction competitiveness. By capping retentions and linking them to fixed price slabs, the BCCI aims to give every franchise a fair chance to rebuild ahead of the 2026 season.

 

The combination of a ₹15 crore purse, stricter retention limits, and early auction scheduling signals the board’s intent to make the upcoming WPL season more competitive and strategically engaging.

 

WPL 2026 mega auction key points
Category	Details
Retention rules	Maximum of 5 players can be retained.
	A maximum of 3 capped Indian players, 2 overseas players, or 2 uncapped Indian players can be retained.
	If all 5 players are retained, at least 1 must be an uncapped Indian cricketer.
Retention Price Slabs	Retention 1: ₹3.50 crore
	Retention 2: ₹2.50 crore
	Retention 3: ₹1.75 crore
	Retention 4: ₹1 crore
	Retention 5: ₹50 lakh
Impact on Purse & RTM Cards	5 retentions → ₹9.25 crore deducted, no RTM cards.
	4 retentions → ₹8.75 crore deducted, 1 RTM card.
	3 retentions → proportionate deduction, 2 RTM cards.
	Each uncapped player retained costs ₹50 lakh.
	Teams may pay more than slab value, with the excess adjusted from their purse.
Player Registration Deadlines	Last date for registration: November 18, 2025
	Final player list announcement: November 20, 2025
Auction Window	Expected between November 26–29, 2025
Tournament Schedule (Tentative)	4th Season likely to begin on January 6 or 8, 2026.
	Start of WPL preponed to January due to India co-hosting the T20 World Cup 2026 with Sri Lanka in February–March.
Tournament Format	5 franchises will compete.
	- Round-robin league format.
	- ~22 matches across 4–5 weeks.
	- Top 3 teams progress to the knockouts.
	- Grand final to decide champions.