WPL 2026 Retention Rules: The Retentions for WPL 2026 are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 5, and all five franchises – Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Giants (GG), and UP Warriorz (UPW) – will come out with their lists of retained and released players by 5 PM IST.
The much-awaited WPL 2026 auction is likely to be held in New Delhi on November 27, setting the stage for a new round of squad reshuffles ahead of the next season.
How Many Players Can Each Team Retain?
Every franchise can retain only a maximum of seven players, divided as follows:
- Three capped Indian players
- Two overseas players
- Two uncapped Indian players
If a team wishes to retain five players, at least one has to be an uncapped Indian. This is to ensure that young Indian talents continue to find a place in the league.
What is the WPL 2026 Purse Limit?
The auction purse for each franchise has been set at INR 15 crore. Depending on the number of players retained, a deduction will apply to the purse amount before the auction.
Here’s the breakdown:
- 5 retained players → ₹9.25 crore deducted
- 4 retained players → ₹8.75 crore deducted
- 3 retained players → ₹7.75 crore deducted
- 2 retained players → ₹6 crore deducted
- 1 retained player → ₹3.5 crore deducted
The idea behind this system is that teams retaining fewer players will have more liberty during the auction.
What are the Player Retention Price Slabs?
The retention slabs have been kept the same for players across franchises:
- Player 1: ₹3.5 crore
- Player 2: ₹2.5 crore
- Player 3: ₹1.75 crore
- Player 4: ₹1 crore
- Player 5: ₹50 lakh
These amounts shall be deducted from the team’s purse prior to the commencement of the auction.
What is the Right to Match (RTM) rule in WPL 2026?
Teams will also have the Right To Match (RTM) option to buy back players who were part of their squads in 2025, but it comes with a condition:
- Teams with five retained players will not be given any RTMs.
- There will be more RTMs available for teams retaining fewer players, to a maximum of five RTMs per team.
This makes the retention strategy crucial, with teams having to decide whether to lock in their core early or keep room for flexibility at the auction table.
What Are The Key Dates Ahead Of The WPL 2026 Auction?
- Player registration deadline: November 18
- Release of final list of players: November 20
WPL 2026 Mega Auction: Likely on November 27 These dates give the franchises ample time for finalizing strategies before the big day.
Will India’s World Cup Win Influence Retentions?
A report states that franchise decisions might be influenced by India’s 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup triumph. A few franchises may 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, sources said. Teams will likely reassess their lineups to give priority to in-form World Cup performers ahead of the 2026 season.
