Three seasons of the Women's Premier League (WPL) have been played so far, while the fourth season will be held in early 2026. Before the fourth season, a mega player auction will be organized, for which the BCCI has already started preparations.
Sports News: The fourth season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) will be played in early 2026. Prior to that, the BCCI has sent guidelines to all franchises regarding the mega player auction. In these guidelines, franchises are allowed to retain only 5 players. WPL has successfully completed three seasons so far. Preparations for this mega auction, which will take place before the fourth season, have been started by the franchises.
As per BCCI guidelines, each franchise can retain a maximum of 3 capped Indian players, 2 overseas players, and not more than 2 uncapped players. If a team decides to retain five players, it will be mandatory to include one uncapped player among them.
Deadline for Retained Players and Mega Auction Date
The BCCI has instructed franchises to submit their list of retained players by November 5. The mega auction can be held between November 25 and 29, 2025. The final list of registered players participating in this auction will be provided by the BCCI to the franchises by November 20.
New Feature: RTM Card (Right To Match)
For the mega auction of the fourth season, the BCCI has implemented a new rule. Franchises will now have the opportunity to use an RTM Card (Right To Match). This means that a team can re-acquire its old players at the auction price.
- Each team can use a maximum of 5 RTM cards.
- If a team retains 4 players, they will get an opportunity for one RTM card.
- Retaining three players will allow the use of 2 RTM cards.
- Retaining two players will provide 3 RTM cards, and retaining only one player will offer the option of 4 RTM cards.
This new rule will help franchises secure their key players in the mega auction.
Franchise Budget and Retained Players
In the fourth season of WPL, each franchise will receive a purse of INR 15 crore. If a team retains 5 players before the auction, a total of INR 9.25 crore will be deducted from their purse. The deductions for retained players will be as follows:
- First player: INR 3.5 crore
- Second player: INR 2.5 crore
- Third player: INR 1.75 crore
- Fourth player: INR 1 crore
- Fifth player: INR 50 lakh
If a team retains 4 players, INR 8.75 crore will be deducted from the purse. Retaining 3 players will result in a deduction of INR 7.75 crore. Franchises will be allowed to pay retained players less than the specified amounts, but the deduction from the purse will be fixed.
Franchises' Preparation for the Mega Auction
Franchises must submit the list of players participating in the auction to the BCCI by November 7. Following this, the BCCI will review their list, register the players, and provide the final auction list to all teams by November 20. This mega auction is considered to be the biggest and most exciting auction in WPL history. Competition will be fierce for new and international stars, as well as experienced players.
The retention rules and RTM cards implemented by the BCCI will play a crucial role in shaping the strategies for franchises. These rules will provide teams with an opportunity to maintain their existing strengths and strike a balance between retaining core players and adding new talented individuals.
