The Hundred’s inaugural player auction has taken place and the squads for the eight teams are now in fine shape.
For the first five editions of the competition, players were allocated to teams via a draft system with a set of salary tiers.
But following substantial private investment in The Hundred, players not already signed or retained will now have their team and pay set by an auction.
Squads will be made up of between 16 to 18 players, while there is a salary cap limit along with a salary collar, a minimum amount teams must spend.
The salary pot in the men’s competition for 2026 has risen by 45% to £2.05m per side, and the fund for women’s teams has increased by 100% to £880,000.
The auction created some of the highest paid sportswomen in the UK, with all-rounder Danielle Gibson, pace bowler Issy Wong and 18-year-old spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman receive deals in excess of £100,000.
In the men’s auction, 21-year-old James Coles earned £390,000, while batter Jordan Cox claimed £300,000. There were also big deals for Joe Root and Adil Rashid.
Sides will be able add two wildcard picks after the T20 Blast.
Here is how The Hundred squads are looking before the 2026 season.