The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction is scheduled to take place on November 27 in New Delhi. The national capital have reportedly edged out Goa to become the preferred host city for the auction, which will be held for the first time in WPL history.
IANS reported that there was a toss-up between November 26, 27, and 28 for the dates of the auction, but now the players will go under the hammer on November 27.
Why Mega auction will take place in New Delhi?
Earlier, on October 22, IANS had reported that New Delhi edged out Goa to become the preferred host city for the auction, which will be held for the first time in WPL history. “There was a toss-up between November 26, 27, and 28. But it has now been communicated to all five franchises by the BCCI that the auction will be on November 27,” said sources.
Where will WPL 2026 mega auction take place?
The mega auction for the mega event will be a one-day event, and it is expected to take place at a plush hotel in Aerocity. Earlier, the original venue for the mega event was Bharat Mandapam but it will be unavailable as it is hosting the India International Trade Fair (IITF) from November 14-27.
The player retention deadline for all five WPL teams, two-time winners Mumbai Indians, 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, three-time runners-up Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, and Gujarat Giants, is on Wednesday.
How many players can a franchise retain?
Each team can retain a maximum of three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indian players. If a team retains five players, at least one must be an uncapped Indian. The auction purse has been set at INR 15 crore.
Retention slabs for players
INR 3.5 crore for Player 1, INR 2.5 crore for Player 2, INR 1.75 crore for Player 3, INR 1 crore for Player 4, and INR 50 lakh for Player 5. The Right to Match (RTM) option allows franchises to buy back players from their 2025 squads, with a cap of five RTMs per team.
Depending on how many players a team retains, the corresponding deductions from the purse are: INR 9.25 crore for five players, INR 8.75 crore for four, INR 7.75 crore for three, INR 6 crore for two, and INR 3.5 crore for one.
Right to match for franchises
The number of RTMs available will change depending on retained players; teams retaining fewer players will have more RTMs, while those using all five retentions will forfeit the RTM option entirely.
Last date for WPL registration
The final date for player registration for the WPL mega auction is November 18, and the final player list will be released on November 20.
Sources told IANS that India's win in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup could affect retention strategies. “A few franchises may have a relook at their retained players list to accommodate the ones who did well for India in winning the trophy. The same goes for a few overseas players who did well in the World Cup,” the sources added.
Notably, India defeated South Africa by 52 runs to win their maiden ODI World Cup at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.