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PCB has confirmed a player auction for PSL 2027, but the auction date has not been announced yet. Before the auction, PCB will announce direct signings, team retentions and a trade window. This page tracks each step and will show retention lists, released players and auction results as they come.
PSL 2027 Auction Date
The PSL 2027 auction date is not confirmed. When PCB announced the HBL PSL 12 window on 8 October 2026, it listed direct signings, retentions, a trade window and the player auction as the next steps, without dates.
Some social media posts say a mini-auction could be held in December 2026. PCB has not confirmed this. We will update this page the same day the official date is announced.
PSL 2027 Player Recruitment Timeline
| Step | What it means | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Direct signings | Teams sign selected players directly, outside the auction | Pending |
| 2. Retentions | Each team names the players it keeps from its 2026 squad | Pending |
| 3. Trade window | Teams swap players with each other | Pending |
| 4. Player auction | Released and new players are sold to the highest bidder | Confirmed, date pending |
PSL 2027 Retention Rules
The rules set for the first PSL auction in 2026 decide how teams can keep players for 2027:
- Two-year contracts: every player signed for PSL 2026 received a two-year contract, so most of them can stay with their team for PSL 2027.
- Up to seven retentions: after the 2026 season, each team can retain up to seven players.
- Released players go back to the pool: players a team does not keep become available in the auction.
- Grand auction after PSL 2027: a bigger auction is planned after PSL 12, where each team can retain only five players.
PCB may add new rules for 2027, such as changes to the purse or player categories. Any change will be added here.
Is There a PSL 2027 Draft?
No. The PSL used a draft system from 2016 to 2025, where teams picked players in turns within fixed salary categories. In 2026, PCB replaced it with the league's first-ever player auction, where teams bid against each other.
So there is no "PSL 2027 draft" or "PSL 2027 draft date". The player auction does that job now.
How the PSL Auction Worked in 2026
The 2026 auction, held in February 2026, set the pattern that PSL 2027 is expected to follow:
| Rule | PSL 2026 auction |
|---|---|
| Purse per team | PKR 45 crore |
| Extra purse | Up to PKR 50.5 crore, to sign one overseas player who did not play in the previous PSL |
| Base prices | PKR 4.2 crore, 2.2 crore, 1.1 crore and 0.6 crore |
| Retentions before the auction | Up to four players, one per category |
| Contract length | Two years |
For example, Quetta Gladiators retained Abrar Ahmed (Platinum), Usman Tariq (Diamond), Hassan Nawaz (Gold) and Shamyl Hussain (Emerging) before the 2026 auction.
The 2027 purse and base prices have not been announced. Because 2027 is a mid-cycle season with up to seven retentions, the PSL 2027 auction is expected to be smaller than the 2026 one, with teams filling only the gaps in their squads.
Teams to Watch in the PSL 2027 Auction
- Rawalpindiz: won 1 of 10 games in 2026 and finished last, so they need the biggest rebuild.
- Quetta Gladiators: won only 3 games and finished 7th.
- Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings: both finished on 10 points and missed the playoffs on net run rate, so a few smart buys could lift them into the top four.
- Peshawar Zalmi: the champions are likely to keep their core, led by Babar Azam and Sufiyan Muqeem.
See every team's 2026 record and profile on our PSL 2027 teams page.
Overseas Players and the IPL Clash
PSL 2027 runs from 18 March to 2 May 2027, which is expected to overlap with the IPL again. Overseas players who are signed in the IPL usually choose it over the PSL, so PSL teams will target overseas players who go unsold in the IPL or who are not part of it.
This is why the timing of the PSL 2027 auction matters. An auction before the IPL auction gives PSL teams first pick, while a later auction lets them see which players are free.
PSL 2027 Retention Lists
Retention lists have not been announced. When PCB and the teams release them, we will add each team's retained players, released players and direct signings here.
For dates and fixtures, see the PSL 2027 schedule.