Overview
- The ECB and The Hundred board will replace the draft with a live auction in March 2026, marking the competition’s first bidding event for players.
- Team spending limits rise to about £2.05m for men (+45%) and £880,000 for women (+100%), with the women’s minimum salary set at £15,000 and top earners projected around £130,000.
- Squads expand to 16–18 players with up to four overseas signings, a salary cap and collar are enforced, fixed salary bands are removed, and multi‑year contracts are introduced.
- A pre‑auction window runs from mid‑November to the end of January for up to four signings per team, capped at three direct signings and requiring at least one retention.
- Pre‑auction signings trigger tiered salary‑pot deductions—men: £350k/£650k/£850k/£950k; women: £130k/£240k/£310k/£360k—and the Vitality Wildcard Draft is retained for two domestic picks in June.