The Hundred are set to hold their first player auction in March 2026, which will bring major changes to their selection and salary structure ahead of the competition’s sixth season.
The changes, developed by The Hundred Playing Working Group and approved by The Hundred Board of Directors, aim to increase competitiveness in the men’s and women’s games and attract top talent.
Squads now contain between 16 and 18 players, with up to four overseas signings possible, and a salary cap and collar (minimum spend) are in place.
The minimum salary will remain, but the fixed salary range will be removed, leaving teams free to bid. Multi-year contracts will also be introduced.
Men’s salaries will rise by 45% to 2.05 million pounds (about 2.7 billion won) per team. Women’s salaries will be doubled to £880,000, with the lowest-paid player’s base salary set to rise by 50% to £15,000.
Top female athletes can earn around £130,000, reflecting a commitment to ensuring equality and competitiveness in women’s sport.
Teams can sign up to four pre-auction contracts between mid-November and January. Of these, a maximum of three may be directly signed (only overseas or England centrally contracted players) and at least one must be retained.
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Highlights from Northern Superchargers’ win over Southern Brave in the Women’s Hundreds final at Lord’s
Each team can sign a maximum of two centrally contracted England players and two overseas players. The “Right to Match” option is not available this season.
Pre-auction signings will result in salary deductions under a tiered model similar to the IPL.
The Vitality Wildcard Draft will continue, allowing teams to finalize their squads through two domestic selections in June based on performance.
Managing director Vikram Banerjee said: “This is a very exciting time for The Hundred. These changes will help us make the competition even better, attract the best players in the world and raise the standards of cricket and entertainment.”
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Nasser Hussain and Dinesh Karthik discuss what’s next for The Hundred.
He emphasized three basic principles: attracting the best talent, maintaining competitive balance and ensuring parity between men’s and women’s formats.
Banerjee said the men’s salary increase reflected market demand, while women’s salaries had risen from £120,000 at the start of the competition.
Northern Superchargers have won the 2025 edition of The Hundred.
“Salaries in The Hundred women’s competition are highly competitive and compare favorably to other franchise leagues and women’s sport as a whole,” he added.
“It’s been fantastic to work with our new partners. Their energy and expertise will help us make The Hundred a better place for fans and players alike.”
