The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has officially announced the Player Acquisition and Draft Rules for the 2026 season, marking the start of a new three-year contract cycle covering 2026 to 2028.
The updated framework introduces several key changes aimed at improving competitive balance, supporting emerging talent, and integrating a seventh franchise into the competition. The draft selections will be announced on the CPL’s social media channels on May 15.
Squad Composition
Each franchise will assemble a 17-player squad
consisting of:
- 9 senior West Indies players
- 5 overseas players
- 3 Breakout Players
Jamaica Kingsmen – Special Draft Provision
As the league’s new franchise, the Jamaica Kingsmen will receive special draft privileges:
They will have the option to make the first three picks in the draft, restricted to selecting only Jamaican players
- The Kingsmen are not obliged to use all three of these picks
- These selections cannot be challenged using the Right to Match Option (RMO)
- During this phase, the Kingsmen may select a maximum of one player from any single existing team
- Any team that loses a player to the Kingsmen will receive an additional RMO
Draft Order
From this point onwards, selections will follow a structured order based on the 2025 league standings, ensuring competitive parity across all teams.
Right to Match Option (RMO)
Franchises will have access to RMOs, allowing them to retain players from their 2025 squads if those players are selected by another team during the draft:
- Each existing team will begin the draft with four RMOs
- Three of the RMOs can be used on players who were in any salary slot on their 2025 roster
One RMO can only be used on players who were in salary slots 7 to 17 and are a national in the franchise’s home territory - Teams that lose a player to the Jamaica Kingsmen at the start of the draft will be given one additional RMO, exercisable in any round on players who were in any salary slot on their 2025 roster
- The Jamaica Kingsmen will have one RMO which may be exercised on any Jamaican player. If this player played in the 2025 CPL, he must have occupied a salary slot between 7 and 17
Breakout Player Retention
Each existing franchise was allowed to retain one Breakout Player from its 2025 squad prior to the draft. This is the only pre-draft retention mechanism permitted for 2026.
Breakout Player Requirement
Breakout Players remain central to CPL’s development strategy. Each team must include at least one player selected in Rounds 15–17 in every matchday XI throughout the tournament.
Overseas Players
- Teams may sign up to five overseas players through direct negotiations
- Overseas players will not be part of the draft
- A maximum of four overseas players may be included in any matchday XI
Michael Hall, CPL’s Tournament Operations Director, said:
“We have worked closely with the seven CPL franchises, Cricket West Indies, and other key stakeholders to develop a framework that allows us to successfully introduce a seventh team while maintaining competitiveness and fairness across the league. We are excited to see how the squads take shape and are confident that the expanded tournament will raise the standard of the CPL even further.”
