As the new season of the Pro Kabaddi League approaches, anticipation is rising among fans. The auction, set to occur in Mumbai on May 31 and June 1, promises to be an exhilarating event. With 11 successful seasons behind it, the landscape of Kabaddi in India has transformed significantly. This season, 83 players have been retained, and over 500 athletes will be available for bidding.
In the upcoming auction, more than 500 players will be up for grabs, including prominent Indian players released after the previous season, domestic talents, and international competitors.
Each team is permitted to have a squad of at least 18 and a maximum of 25 players. Additionally, teams can include between 2 to 4 foreign players.
Every team will begin the auction with a budget of ₹5 crore. However, the actual spending capacity will vary based on the number of retained players from the last season.
Players are classified into four categories based on their skills and experience, with respective base prices as follows:
Each category encompasses Raiders, Defenders, and All-Rounders.
Before the auction, teams could retain up to 6 players from the previous season, with a maximum of 3 being designated as Elite Retained Players to ensure key performers remain with their teams.
New Young Players (NYP) and Retained Young Players (RYP) refer to young talents who have participated in past seasons. A total of 58 young players were retained by teams to foster their development.
The FBM card allows teams to reacquire a player they previously released by matching the final auction bid from another team.
This season introduces modifications to the FBM rule:
Most teams can utilize up to 3 FBMs, while UP Yoddhas are restricted to 2. The number of FBMs available is contingent on the number of ERPs retained: