The Hundred gears up for first-ever auction: Salary collar, squad size, retentions - All you need to know

The Hundred will stage its first-ever player auction in March 2026, marking a major shift in the competition’s player selection model ahead of its sixth season.

The move, which comes alongside the introduction of multi-year contracts, is aimed at increasing competitiveness and flexibility in squad building across both men’s and women’s tournaments.


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Under the new system, teams will have between 16 and 18 players, including up to four overseas cricketers. A salary cap and a salary collar (the minimum amount teams must spend) will be introduced.

While minimum salaries will remain, fixed salary tiers will be replaced by open bidding during the auction.

The salary pot for the men’s competition will rise by 45 percent to GBP 2.05 million per team (about Rs 24 crore), while the women’s competition will see a 100 percent increase to GBP 880,000 (Over Rs 10 crore). The lowest-paid women’s players will now earn a base salary of GBP 15,000, up by 50 percent.

Each team can make up to four pre-auction signings from mid-November to the end of January, of which three may be direct signings, including centrally contracted England or overseas players.

The fourth must be a retention, which can be any player.

Teams can secure up to two England centrally contracted players and two overseas players before the auction.

A “right to match” rule will not apply for the upcoming season.

To accommodate the pre-auction signings, specific amounts will be deducted from the teams’ salary pots. For the men’s competition, the cumulative deductions will range from GBP 350,000 for one player to GBP 950,000 for four players. For the women’s competition, the range will be between GBP 130,000 and GBP 360,000.

The Wildcard Draft will continue, allowing teams to reward top domestic performers with final squad spots in June.

The changes were approved by The Hundred Board after consultation with representatives from all eight teams, the PCA, and the ECB.

“This is a hugely exciting time for The Hundred,” said Managing Director Vikram Banerjee. “These changes will help us make the competition even better, ensuring we get the best players in the world and improving the standard of cricket and level of entertainment further again.”

The sixth edition of The Hundred is likely to commence in July.

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