Pakistan’s premier T20 franchise league, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is all set to witness its first-ever auction ahead of the 2026 edition. The tournament, which has seen ten seasons so far, will host its first-ever player auction on February 11 after overruling their draft system.
The T20 league, which is often considered to be at par with the Indian Premier League (IPL) and other T20 leagues, will also see itself expand to eight teams from six. Apart from this, the league has also introduced several rules for its 11th edition.
All you need to know about the first-ever PSL auction
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the addition of two new teams in the league, which will be from Hyderabad and Sialkot, apart from the existing six teams in Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators.
Moreover, speaking of the purse of the teams, the limit has been put at USD 1.6 million (INR 14.72 crore approximately). A team can pick a minimum of 16 players and go up to a maximum of 20, including five overseas signings. Additionally, they will also be allowed to directly sign only one overseas player who wasn’t part of the tournament in the 2025 edition.
However, when it comes to playing XI, the teams have been mandated to pick at least three to four foreign players, along with the inclusion of at least one in the XI.
PSL 2026 auction: Retention rules
When it comes to the auction, the six existing teams can retain up to four players, while the unpicked players will be made available for the two new franchises to pick their four players. In the PSL 2026 auction, the players will be divided into four categories as per their base prices, along with a set minimum bidding increment.
