Wondering how the squads for 2025 will be picked? Let’s get you up to speed! 

STAGE ONE:
PLAYER RETENTION & DIRECT SIGNINGS

Teams have the option to retain up to 10 players from their 2024 squads. This is the same number as last year in the men's competition, but an increase in the women's competition.

Men's teams can also retain one Centrally Contracted England star, who will sit outside of their salary bands. Teams can retain up to three overseas players.

Teams will need to finalise their retentions before Deadline Day on 25 February.

Teams do not have to use all of their retention slots, allowing them more picks in The Hundred Draft. 

New for 2025, teams can now make one overseas player signing during the retention period who wasn't at their team last year, by agreeing terms with them directly. A Direct Signing counts towards one of the 10 player retentions, as well as one of the three overseas players allowed in the squad.

Each retained player must be retained to a set salary band, with players and teams able to negotiate different bands from 2024.

STAGE TWO:
THE HUNDRED DRAFT

Each team must leave at least three vacant spots in their retention list, with these being filled during The Hundred Draft. The more vacant slots a team has, the more draft picks they gain.

Draft order is determined by reversing the 2024 standings, with champions London Spirit and Oval Invincibles selecting last in the women's and men's draft respectively. However, with teams retaining players across all the salary bands, the team picking first will be the one with a slot in the highest salary band available.

Both men's and women's teams will draft until they have 13 players in their squads.

Every squad, across both competitions, is allowed a maximum of three overseas players. 

There is one complex thing during the Draft! Each team got one "Right to Match" option. This option enables a team to re-sign one of their 2024 players they didn’t previously retain when a rival team offers to buy them during the Draft. 

Teams using their "Right to Match" have to offer the same salary as the player’s prospective new team. If they have already filled up all their slots at that band, the option isn't available.

Women’s salary bands for 2025 are as follows:

• £65,000 (two players)
• £50,000 (two players)
• £36,000 (two players)
• £20,500 (two players)
• £16,000 (two players)
• £12,500 (two players)
• £10,000 (three players)

Men's salary bands for 2025 are as follows:

• £200,000 (two players, plus one England Centrally Contracted Player)
• £120,000 (two players)
• £78,500 (two players)
• £63,000 (two players)
• £52,000 (two players)
• £41,500 (two players)
• £31,000 (three players)

The overall salary pot across men's and women's squads has increased by 25 per cent on 2025. Read more about the increase here.

STAGE Three:
THE Vitality Wildcard

Following The Hundred Draft, there are a couple more players selected for each squad. This is done via The Vitality Wildcard Draft.

This is done closer to the start of The Hundred, strengthening the competition's link with the Vitality Blast and further rewarding domestic form. It means players who aren't selected in the main Draft can still pick up a contract.

The two lowest salary slots in both the Women's Competition and the Men's Competition are left free for these picks.

In the Women's Competition, each team nominates one "designated marquee player." In the event that this player needs to be replaced before or during the competition, that team could bring in another overseas or domestic player.

And that’s it! 

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