The Hundred will hold its first player auction in March 2026 changing everything completely. England’s cricket tournament is ditching the draft system for a proper player picking like the IPL. This marks a massive shift for the league, trying to attract the world’s best cricketers.
Why Is The Hundred Moving to an Auction Format?
The Hundred organisers sold equity, raising over £550 million for ECB recently making changes possible. That money allows them to increase salary budgets dramatically for both men’s and women’s teams. The first player auction next year will see men’s salary pots jump from £1.2 million to £2.05 million.
Women’s teams get an even bigger boost with budgets doubling from £440,000 to £880,000 total. The minimum salary for female players rises 50% from £10,000 to £15,000 per season. These increases should convince top international stars to play in the tournament regularly now.
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Teams can sign four overseas players instead of the three previously allowed per squad rules. Squad sizes expand to 16-18 players giving coaches more options during the next season ahead. Multi-year contracts become available, letting teams build long-term strategies around star players signed early.
How Will The Players Auction Work?
Teams can make direct signings from mid-November to mid-January before the picking happens. Each franchise gets to sign two overseas players and two centrally-contracted England players directly. The main players’ buying format for 2026 takes place in March with remaining slots filled then.
A wildcard system stays in place, letting teams pick T20 Blast players through a draft. This wildcard draft happens in June 2026, giving teams last-minute additions before the tournament starts. The Hundred implements salary caps and minimum spending requirements. This is for keeping competition balanced fairly between franchises.
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What Does This Mean for Cricket?
Vikram Banerjee, Managing Director of The Hundred, believes the buying format improves competition quality massively. The tournament wants to attract the best players while maintaining competitive balance between all teams. Equal treatment of men’s and women’s competitions remains a priority for organisers planning next season carefully.
This picking format of players could make the league a major global T20 tournament rivalling others worldwide. Fans should expect bigger names and better cricket during the upcoming season with increased budgets.
