The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is gearing up for its 2026 season with a highly anticipated mega player auction set to take place in New Delhi on November 27. This marks a significant milestone as it’s the inaugural mega auction for the league.
After careful consideration, New Delhi has been chosen as the host city, beating out other contenders. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed all five franchises about the confirmed auction date.
Organizers are looking at a prominent hotel in Aerocity as the potential venue, as the Bharat Mandapam is booked for the India International Trade Fair.
Before the auction, teams must finalize their player retentions by Wednesday. The rules allow for retaining up to three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indian players. A minimum of one uncapped Indian player must be among five retained players. The auction pool is capped at INR 15 crore per team.
Specific salary caps are in place for retained players, ranging from INR 3.5 crore to INR 50 lakh. The Right to Match (RTM) facility will permit teams to re-acquire up to five of their former players. The financial implications of retention will directly affect the number of RTM options available to each franchise. Players wishing to enter the auction must register by November 18, with the final player list announced on November 20. The success of the Indian team in the recent Women’s ODI World Cup is expected to play a role in teams’ retention decisions, with potential adjustments to accommodate star World Cup performers.