WPL 2026 auction likely to be held on November 26-27:Event set to take place in New Delhi; retention deadline is set for November 5

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction is set to be held in New Delhi, with the likely dates narrowed down to November 26–27. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet issued a formal notification to franchises, sources have confirmed that all five teams have been informally informed about the venue and tentative schedule. Initially, the BCCI had planned for the auction to take place between November 26 and 29; however, the process now appears to be set for completion within a much tighter window. Given the compact structure of the WPL, with just five franchises and a maximum squad size of 18 players, the entire auction is expected to be wrapped up in a single day. Though the WPL auction is considered a major event, the limited number of players and teams ensures that proceedings are expected to move quickly. Even if around 90 players go under the hammer, the event is unlikely to stretch long. Teams to submit retained player lists by November 5 Ahead of the auction, the BCCI has requested that franchises submit their list of retained players by November 5. Each team can retain up to five players from their current squad. However, every retention will reduce the team’s available player purse for the auction. The total purse for each team stands at ₹15 crore, but retaining five players could cost up to ₹9.25 crore. Also read: ‘Collect Asia Cup Trophy from ACC Office’: Mohsin Naqvi slams BCCI for ‘petty politics’, wants to host presentation ceremony again in November According to BCCI’s guidelines, the retention cost structure is as follows: ₹3.5 crore for the first player, ₹2.5 crore for the second, ₹1.75 crore for the third, ₹1 crore for the fourth, and ₹50 lakh for the fifth. These figures will be used only for salary cap calculations, and the actual payment to a player may differ. RTM rules and player retention limits Teams have also been given clarity on the Right to Match (RTM) options. Each franchise can use up to five RTM cards, but the number of available RTMs will depend on how many players they choose to retain. For instance, a team that retains five players will not be allowed to use any RTM, while a team entering the auction with no retentions can use all five. Also read: Mumbai Indians eye Ishan Kishan’s return ahead of IPL mini-auction: Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals reach out Sunrisers Hyderabad for trade deal – Report Each team can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped players (with a ₹50 lakh guideline price for each uncapped player).