WPL 2026 Retention List: Which Players may the Franchises Retain ahead of Mega Auction? Probable List, Rules

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The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 teams is set to announce their probable retention lists as the retention deadline is November 5, 2025.

Each of the five franchises can retain a maximum of five players

each under the new retention rules, which include up to three capped Indian players, two overseas players, and two uncapped Indian players. Salary cap slabs for retention slots are fixed, and a Right-to-Match (RTM) card system is introduced for the first time, allowing teams to match bids to reacquire released players.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has laid down clear guidelines for player retention ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction, focusing on balancing team strategy, player mix, and financial fairness.

WPL 2026 Retention Rules and Conditions

Each franchise can retain up to five players before the auction.

Among these five:

A maximum of three capped Indian players (those who have played official matches for India).

Up to two overseas players.

Up to two uncapped Indian players.

If all five retention slots are filled, the team must include at least one uncapped Indian player to promote domestic talent development.

This blend ensures a competitive mix of international experience and emerging Indian talent.

Salary Deduction Structure

Retention salaries are deducted from the team's total auction purse of ₹15 crore, according to fixed slabs:

1st retention: ₹3.5 crore

2nd retention: ₹2.5 crore

3rd retention: ₹1.75 crore

4th retention: ₹1 crore

5th retention: ₹0.5 crore

Retaining all five players costs ₹9.25 crore, leaving the team ₹5.75 crore for the auction.

Right-to-Match (RTM) Cards

For the first time, teams have RTM cards to buy back released players by matching the highest bidding price during the auction.

Probable WPL 2026 Retention List of all Teams

If all of the teams decide to go with five retentions, here are the players they can probably look to keep hold ahead of the WPL mega auction, which is slated on November 27.