The Hundred, a unique 100-ball tournament organized under the supervision of the ECB, has moved towards privatization of its teams and hence, has announced to hold an auction for the first time in the history of the tournament.
Auction started in cricket from Indian Premier League. Other leagues like the Big Bash League (BBL), The Hundred and CPL initially lacked auctions, but they are slowly turning towards the same objective.
The Hundred is set to host its first auction in 2026
The Hundred is all set to host its first auction in March 2026 ahead of the next season of the tournament during the English summer. Along with multi-year contracts, some changes will also be made to the players’ salary pot ahead of the sixth season.
The team limit has also been set at around 16 and 18 players, and they have set some rules regarding preseason deals as well as retaining players. Along with fixed salaries, every team will also have to spend a minimum amount in pre-season.
“In the first year of The Hundred the pay pot for the women’s competition was GBP 120,000, with the top earning players earning GBP 15,000 – the pot has increased for the third consecutive year. With the pot now at GBP 880,000, the top earning players are set to earn in the region of GBP 130,000, with a significant increase in pay for those on base value,” reported. Hundred directors.
The Hundred will host its first auction in March 2026, increasing the total salary pot for both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Apart from the changes in the auction, the squad will be made up of 16 to 18 players, with four foreign players allowed. pic.twitter.com/ZSAI7CnOeB
– Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) 31 October 2025
Pre-season rules set before first auction
The total salary cap in The Hundred Men’s competition is considered to be up to GBP 2.05 million per team, representing a 45 percent increase from the previous season. In the Hundred Women competition, the salary increase is 100 percent. In the women’s category, the pay purse will be GBP 880,000.
Teams are allowed up to four pre-auction signings. The time slot of these calls has been kept from mid-November to the end of January. They can afford a maximum of three of these direct signings, and need to retain at least one player. Such players must be centrally contracted with the ECB or must be foreign players.
The wildcard draft will remain in place; However, there will be no RTM this season.
Vikram Banerjee’s views on changes in The Hundred
Speaking about the major changes, Vikram Banerjee, Managing Director of The Hundred, said, “This is an extremely exciting time for The Hundred. These changes will help us make the competition even better, ensuring we get the best players in the world and raising the standard and entertainment level of cricket again.”
He said, “In making this decision, we have stuck to three key principles: i) ensuring that The Hundred attracts the best players in the world, ii) maintaining competitive balance between teams, and iii) guaranteeing that any changes we make to the men’s and women’s game are sustainable.”
He further said that the decision to increase men’s salaries by approximately 45-50 per cent comes as the market in the men’s game forces such changes, making it necessary to attract global stars to the league.
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