CPL announces player acquisition and draft rules for 2026 season

Published - 30 Apr 2026, 22:03 IST | Updated - 30 Apr 2026, 22:06 IST

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has officially announced the Player Acquisition and Draft Rules for the 2026 season, marking the start of a new three-year contract cycle covering 2026 to 2028.

The updated framework introduces several key changes aimed at improving competitive balance, supporting emerging talent, and integrating a seventh franchise into the competition. The draft selections will be announced on the CPL’s social media channels on May 15.

Each franchise will assemble a 17-player squad consisting of:

As the league’s new franchise, the Jamaica Kingsmen will receive special draft privileges:They will have the option to make the first three picks in the draft, restricted to selecting only Jamaican players

From this point onwards, selections will follow a structured order based on the 2025 league standings, ensuring competitive parity across all teams.

Franchises will have access to RMOs, allowing them to retain players from their 2025 squads if those players are selected by another team during the draft:

Each existing franchise was allowed to retain one Breakout Player from its 2025 squad prior to the draft. This is the only pre-draft retention mechanism permitted for 2026.

Breakout Players remain central to CPL’s development strategy. Each team must include at least one player selected in Rounds 15–17 in every matchday XI throughout the tournament.

Michael Hall, CPL’s Tournament Operations Director, said:

“We have worked closely with the seven CPL franchises, Cricket West Indies, and other key stakeholders to develop a framework that allows us to successfully introduce a seventh team while maintaining competitiveness and fairness across the league. We are excited to see how the squads take shape and are confident that the expanded tournament will raise the standard of the CPL even further.”