The Hundred confirms new changes in major shake-up for 2026

The changes seek to make the competition similar to the successful Indian Premier League

The Hundred cricket tournament is set to introduce its inaugural player auction in March, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Friday.

This significant change for the tournament's sixth edition will see men's teams benefit from an enhanced salary pot exceeding £2 million.

Moving away from its previous player selection method, the competition will now adopt an auction format, mirroring the successful Indian Premier League (IPL).

Under this new system, teams will bid for talent, including four overseas players.

Squads will comprise between 16 and 18 individuals, operating under both a salary cap and a minimum spending requirement, known as a salary collar.

This substantial increase in player remuneration positions The Hundred as one of the most financially attractive franchise tournaments globally, surpassed only by the IPL and the Indian Women's Premier League.

The Hundred's sixth edition will ditch its current player selection model in favour of the format inspired by the Indian Premier League (IPL) (PA Wire)

"The overall salary pot in The Hundred men's competition will increase 45 per cent for the 2026 season, rising to £2.05 million per team," the ECB said in a statement.

"The overall salary pot in The Hundred women's competition will increase 100 per cent for the 2026 season, rising to £880,000 per team.

"The increase to the salary pot in The Hundred women's competition will also see the base price salaries for the lowest-paid player increase considerably to £15,000, up by 50 per cent."

The changes came through The Hundred Playing Working Group, featuring representatives from all eight teams, the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) and the ECB, before they were agreed by The Hundred's board.

Teams are allowed up to four pre-auction signings from mid-November to the end of January.

The Wildcard Draft will also remain in place so teams can reward strong domestic form by finalising their squads with two final selections in June, before the competition gets underway in the English summer.

Teams are allowed up to four pre-auction signings from mid-November to the end of January (PA)

"These changes will help us make the competition even better, ensuring we get the best players in the world and improving the standard of cricket and level of entertainment further again," said Vikram Banerjee, managing director of The Hundred.

"Working alongside our new partners we've been exploring how we can take The Hundred forward and we've decided that moving to an auction will allow us to improve the competition."

Banerjee said the salary pot for the women's competition in the first year of The Hundred was only £120,000, with the top-earning players earning £15,000.

But the pot has since risen for the third year in a row and at £880,000, top-earning players can earn in the region of £130,000.