WPL 2026: As per the latest update from the governing council of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), all franchises are now allowed to retain up upto 5 players in their current squad. This is applicable via direct retention or the Right to Match (RTM) option.
Also, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has allocated a purse of INR 15 crore to each franchise to rebuild a robust squad ahead of the forthcoming fourth season in 2026.
Additionally, guidelines have been set to retain a specific number of capped and uncapped Indian players ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction.
Last Date for Franchises to Finalize the Retentions
As the WPL 2026 mega auction is set to take place between the 26th and 29th of November 2025, the franchises were instructed to confirm their list of retained players by Wednesday, November 05.
Cutoff Date For Players to Register for WPL 2026 Auction
With November 18, 2025 (Tuesday) set as the last date for players to register for the WPL 2026 auction, the BCCI will finalize the list of eligible contenders for the auction and make an official announcement on November 20, 2025 (Thursday).
Revised Rules to Retain Capped and Uncapped Indian Players
According to the revised guidelines by the WPL Governing Council (GC), franchises can retain upto five players— a maximum of three capped Indian players, two foreign players, or two uncapped Indian players.
There should be at least one uncapped Indian cricketer only if a team chooses to retain all five players.
Retention Price Slab For All 5 WPL Franchises
All five franchises need to follow the following retention price slab to retain upto five players:
- 1st Retention: INR 3.50 Crore
- 2nd Retention: INR 2.50 Crore
- 3rd Retention: INR 1.75 Crore
- 4th Retention: INR 1 Crore
- 5th Retention: INR 50 Lakh
So, a team retaining a maximum of five players would have spent INR 9.25 crore from the purse and would have no option left for using any RTM cards.
On the other hand, the teams with four player retention will face an INR 8.75 crore deduction, but will have one RTM to use. Teams with three retentions will have to spend INR 7.75 crore and will have two RTMs to take advantage of during the mega auction.
WPL 2026 Tentative Schedule and Format
As per the latest reports, the WPL 2026 is likely to commence in early January. As India is set to host the Men’s T20 World Cup in February 2026 alongside Sri Lanka, the WPL has been preponed to the January-February window (on 06th or 08th of January) rather than the usual February-March window.
Typically, the past three editions of the WPL were completed ahead of the commencement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the March-May window.
The upcoming edition will see five franchises taking part in a round-robin format, where 22 matches will be spanned across four to five weeks of timeline.
While the top three teams will qualify for the playoffs, the team that concludes as the table topper will directly secure a berth in the grand finale for the title clash.
List of Retained Players by WPL Franchises for 2026 Season
Here is a detailed list of those retained players by all five franchises ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction:
Mumbai Indians (5 Retentions): 4 Capped and 1 Uncapped
| Player | Nation | Role | Status (Capped / Uncapped) |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | India | Spin Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
| Amanjot Kaur | India | Fast Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
| G Kamalini | India | Batter (Left-Handed) | Uncapped |
| Nat Sciver Brunt | England | Fast Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
| Hayley Matthews | West Indies | Batter (Right-Handed) | Capped |
Delhi Capitals (5 Retentions): 4 Capped and 1 Uncapped Indian
| Player | Nation | Role | Status (Capped / Uncapped) |
| Jemimah Rodrigues | India | Batter (Right-Handed) | Capped |
| Shafali Varma | India | Batter (Right-Handed) | Capped |
| Niki Prasad | India | Batter (Right-Handed) | Uncapped |
| Annabel Sutherland | Australia | Fast Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
| Marizanne Kapp | South Africa | Fast Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (4 Retentions): 4 Capped (3 Indian+ 1 Overseas)
| Player | Nation | Role | Status (Capped / Uncapped) |
| Smriti Mandhana | India | Batter (Left-Handed) | Capped |
| Richa Ghosh | India | Wicketkeeper and Batter | Capped |
| Shreyanka Patil | India | Spin Bowling All-Rounder | Uncapped |
| Ellyse Perry | Australia | Fast Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
Gujarat Giants (2 Retentions): 2 Capped (only Overseas Players)
| Player | Nation | Role | Status (Capped / Uncapped) |
| Ashleigh Gardner | Australia | Spin Bowling All-Rounder | Capped |
| Beth Mooney | Australia | Wicketkeeper and Batter | Capped |
UP Warriorz (1 Retention): 1 Uncapped Indian
| Player | Nation | Role | Status (Capped / Uncapped) |
| Shweta Sehrawat | India | Spin Bowling All-Rounder | Uncapped |
Overall Summary: WPL 2026 Mega Auction Important Points
Let’s take a glance at the BCCI’s intent to make the WPL 2026 more strategic and highly competitive by introducing strict retention limits and INR 15 crore purse value ahead of the 3-day bidding event (mega auction):
- Retention Guidelines:
- Maximum Players Allowed for Retention Per Squad: 5
- Combinations:
- (3 Capped + 2 Overseas) or (3 Capped + 2 Uncapped Indian Players)
- 1 Uncapped Indian Player Mandatory if 5 players are retained in the squad.
- Maximum Players Allowed for Retention Per Squad: 5
- Retention Price Slabs and Impact on RTM Cards Availability:
| Number of Retentions | Retention Value | Amount Deducted | Availability of RTM Cards |
| 5 | INR 50 Lakh | INR 9.25 crore | 0 |
| 4 | INR 1 Crore | INR 8.75 crore | 1 |
| 3 | INR 1.75 Crore | INR 7.75 crore | 2 |
| 2 | INR 2.50 Crore | INR 6 crore | 3 |
| 1 | INR 3.50 Crore | INR 3.50 crore | 4 |
- Player Registration Last Date and Finalized List of Contenders:
- Last Date for Registration: November 18, 2025
- Finalized List Announcement: November 20, 2025
- Dates for WPL 2026 Mega Auction: November 26th to 29th, 2025
- WPL 2026 Start Date: January 06 or January 08 (To Be Confirmed)
Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction to be Held Overseas: Dubai Leads, Muscat and Doha Contenders
