The Hundred 2026 auction, where to watch live: TV channels, live streaming and start time

When will The Hundred 2026 auction start?

The Hundred moves on from the draft system to auctions for the first time, with over 400 players possibly going under the hammer. The Women’s Hundred auction will be held on Wednesday, March 11, while the men’s auction will take place on Thursday. The auction coverage is scheduled to start at 9.45am GMT (3.15pm IST) on both days.

Also Read: The Hundred 2026 auction rules explained

The Hundred 2026 auction: Where to watch live?

Where to watch in the United Kingdom

Fans in the UK can watch the live telecast of the auction on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket. A free live stream of the event will also be available on The Hundred YouTube channel.

Where to watch in the rest of the world

Fans from around the world can live stream the auction for free on The Hundred YouTube channel.

Also read: The Hundred 2026 auction: Full list of players with base price

The Hundred 2026 auction: Direct signings and retentions

All eight franchises were allowed to sign a maximum of three players directly, and retain a fourth from last year’s team, with the men’s squad having a salary cap of £2.05m, and the women's sides capped at £880,000.

All men’s teams directly signed/retained four players each, and saw £950,000 chipped off their salary caps as a result. The women’s teams with four pre-auction signings had £360,000 taken off their budget, while the remaining four sides signed/retained three and had £310,000 deducted from their auction pot.

Trent Rockets

Women: Sophia Dunkley (direct signing), Ash Gardner (retained), Kim Garth (direct signing), Nat Sciver-Brunt (retained).

Men: Tom Banton (retained), Tim David (direct signing), Ben Duckett (direct signing), Mitchell Santner (direct signing).

Southern Brave

Women: Lauren Bell (retained), Maia Bouchier (retained), Jemimah Rodrigues (direct signing), Laura Wolvaardt (retained).

Men: Jofra Archer (retained), Jamie Smith (direct signing), Marcus Stoinis (direct signing), Tristan Stubbs (direct signing).

London Spirit

Women: Charlie Dean (retained), Mahika Gaur (direct signing), Grace Harris (retained), Marizanne Kapp (direct signing).

Men: Dewald Brevis (direct signing), Liam Livingstone (direct signing), Jamie Overton (retained), Adam Zampa (direct signing).

Birmingham Phoenix

Women: Alice Capsey (direct signing), Lauren Filer (direct signing), Lucy Hamilton (direct signing), Ellyse Perry (retained).

Men: Rehan Ahmed (direct signing), Jacob Bethell (retained), Donovan Ferreira (direct signing), Mitchell Owen (direct signing).

Also Read: Record-breaking Pakistan T20 World Cup opener left off Hundred auction longlist

Manchester Super Giants

Women: Sophie Ecclestone (retained), Meg Lanning (direct signing), Smriti Mandhana (direct signing).

Men: Noor Ahmad (retained), Jos Buttler (retained), Liam Dawson (direct signing), Heinrich Klaasen (retained).

MI London

Women: Melie Kerr (direct signing), Hayley Matthews (direct signing), Danni Wyatt-Hodge (direct signing).

Men: Sam Curran (retained), Will Jacks (retained), Rashid Khan (retained), Nicholas Pooran (direct signing).

Sunrisers Leeds

Women: Kate Cross (retained), Phoebe Litchfield (retained), Annabel Sutherland (retained).

Men: Harry Brook (retained), Brydon Carse (retained), Nathan Ellis (direct signing), Mitchell Marsh (direct signing).

Welsh Fire

Women: Freya Kemp (direct signing), Georgia Voll (direct signing), Georgia Wareham (direct signing).

Men: Marco Jansen (direct signing), Rachin Ravindra (direct signing), Phil Salt (direct signing), Chris Woakes (retained).

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