PSL 2026 Auction Rules – Retentions, Franchise Purse & Squad Rules

The PSL Auction 2026 Rules have been officially established for the PSL 11, marking the first ever transition from a draft to an auction system. The historic player auction is scheduled to take place on February 11, 2026, in Lahore.

International and local players must complete their registrations by February 3, 2026, to be eligible for the bidding process. This new model ensures that player values are determined by market demand, providing a transparent and competitive environment for all eight franchises.

Also Check: PSL Auction 2026

PSL Auction 2026 Rules

The PSL Auction 2026 Rules introduce a systematic bidding process where players are categorized based on their base prices. Franchises will compete in an open auction, with the PCB also contributing to the procurement of elite international stars.

For the first time, franchises have been given a specific timeline for squad building. Following the registration deadline, a final list of players will be presented for the February 11 auction, where teams must strategically manage their budgets to secure their target match-winners.

PSL Squad and Auction Rules

Under the new guidelines, each franchise must maintain a squad size of a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 20 players. The PSL Auction 2026 Rules mandate that teams include between 5 and 7 foreign players in their total squad to maintain a global standard of competition.

On match days, the playing XI must feature a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4 foreign players. Additionally, teams must include at least two uncapped Under-23 players in their roster, with at least one required to be part of the starting eleven for every game.

Contract and Retention

Players selected or retained during the PSL 11 auction will sign a two-year contract with their respective franchises. The retention policy has been tightened for the inaugural auction, allowing the six existing teams to retain only four players, limited to one per category.

Following the conclusion of PSL 11, franchises will be allowed to retain up to seven players for the 12th edition. A grand auction is then planned after PSL 12, where a maximum of five retentions will be permitted before all remaining players return to the open pool.

Franchise Purse

The base franchise purse for the 2026 season is set at PKR 450 million (approximately USD 1.6 million). This budget must cover all player acquisitions, including retentions and auction purchases, ensuring a level playing field for both established and new franchises.

The purse is extendable up to PKR 505 million to accommodate a special provision for direct signings. Each team is entitled to directly sign one foreign player who did not feature in PSL 10, allowing franchises to bring fresh international talent into the league.

PSL Players Base Price

The PSL Auction 2026 Rules have defined four main base price brackets to categorize the talent pool. These categories help set the starting point for bidding and ensure that elite players receive a valuation reflective of their status in the T20 circuit.

Category	Base Price (PKR)	Min. Incremental Bid
First Category	4.2 Crore	15 Lakh (Above 4.2 Cr)
Second Category	2.2 Crore	10 Lakh (Under 4.2 Cr)
Third Category	1.1 Crore	5 Lakh (Under 2.2 Cr)
Fourth Category	0.6 Crore	2.5 Lakh (Under 1.1 Cr)

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