The Hundred announces first-ever player auction ahead of 2026 edition

As of the sixth edition in 2026, the organizers of The Hundred have announced their plan to implement an auction-based system to recruit players into the tournament in preparation for the start of the sixth tournament. The first auction will take place on two separate days in London: the women's auction on March 11 and the men's auction on March 12. All players wishing to participate in the auction will need to register before February 16.

The introduction of an auction-based system for recruiting players aligns The Hundred with other global cricket competitions, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has long utilized an auction system for recruiting its players. The collaboration between the IPL and the Hundred is the result of increased investment into the tournament from private sources. For this reason, the ECB deemed it necessary to update the player recruitment process of the Hundred and improve both the level of competitiveness and the transparency of how teams build rosters.

In conjunction with the introduction of an auction-based recruitment process, the ECB has increased the salary caps for all teams. The budget for men's teams has increased by 45%, to £2.05 million per franchise, and the minimum salary for women's players has been increased by 50%, to £15,000. This is a significant advancement for both the welfare of women players and for placing an emphasis on professionalizing the women's game.

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How the Auction System Will Operate

Prior to the auction process, all teams were able to retain or to acquire up to four players Prior to their auction, each of the teams in the tournament could retain or acquire via direct signings up to four players. One of those players could be retained from their squad from the 2025 tournament. Other players could include either current players who have contracts to play cricket in England or overseas players. Players may be offered multi-year contracts. All players who did not receive a contract during the retention window will be placed in the auction pool. All teams will be competing and purchasing these players in the auction, which will take place prior to the tournament.

Some of the best-known players in England have been retained prior to their entry into this auction, including Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Jofra Archer, and Jacob Bethell. Other very well-known players are expected to attract intense interest in this auction, such as Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Ja Rehan Ahmed, and Jamie Smith. Another change to the auction system is that there is no longer a 'Right to Match' option. Any acquisitions made during the retention or acquisition period will be deducted from the remaining capital allotment.

Since its inception, the tournament has undergone a significant change, with several teams now being part-owned by IPL-associated investors. This has created a variety of new team identities, such as MI London, Sunrisers Leeds, and the Manchester Super Giants. The sixth edition of The Hundred will take place between July 21 and August 16, 2026. The availability of the new auction model, the tournament's organizers believe, will lead to greater quality, competitiveness, and global appeal of the tournament.