Whenever the Pro Kabaddi auction approaches, many kabaddi fans wonder how the PKL player retention process actually works. The retention system in the Pro Kabaddi League is quite different from other leagues, such as the Indian Premier League. So, let’s try to understand how the PKL retention process works in the simplest way possible.
There are four types of player retention in PKL:
1. Nominated New Young Players (NYPs)
2. Existing New Young Players (NYPs)
3. Retained Young Players (RYPs)
4. Elite Retained Players (ERPs)
Nominated New Young Players (NYPs)
Let’s start with Nominated New Young Players.
Each franchise can sign upto 4 NYPs on a two-year contract. While signing NYPs is not mandatory, most franchises scout talented youngsters from local kabaddi tournaments and give them a platform to showcase their skills.
Age Criteria and Eligibility
Players must be between 18 and 22 years of age.
Any player who has never appeared in a PKL player auction can be signed as a Nominated New Young Player.
Existing New Young Players (NYPs)
The next category is Existing New Young Players.
As mentioned earlier, NYPs are signed on a mandatory two-year contract. When a player enters the second year of that contract, he is retained as an Existing NYP.
Retained Young Players (RYPs)
Once a player’s two-year NYP contract ends, the franchise can choose to retain him for future seasons.
If the franchise offers the player a new contract, he becomes a Retained Young Player (RYP). This contract is valid for three years.
However, in some cases, franchises release players after one or two years despite having a longer contract in place.
Also Read | PKL Season 13 likely to begin in Late 2026
Elite Retained Players (ERPs)
This is the most well-known type of retention in PKL.
There are two ways a player can fall under the Elite Player category and be retained as an Elite Retained Player.
(i) Through the Player Auction
Once a player enters the PKL Player Auction, he is considered an Elite Player. If a franchise retains him in future seasons, he will be retained as an Elite Retained Player.
(ii) Through the NYP Pathway
When an NYP completes both of his retention contracts — the two-year Nominated NYP contract and the three-year Retained Young Player contract — he automatically moves into the Elite Player category from the following season, even without entering the player auction.
How Does Elite Player Retention Work?
A franchise can retain Elite Players based on the category assigned to them by the league. However, there is a limit on the number of players that can be retained under this category.
Each team can retain a maximum of 2 players from Category A, 2 players from Category B, and 2 players from Category C. This means a franchise can retain upto 6 Elite Retained Players (ERPs) in total.
Here’s a simple Example
| 1st Year | Nominated New Young Player |
| 2nd Year | Existing New Young Player |
| 3rd Year | Retained Young Player |
| 4th Year | Retained Young Player |
| 5th Year | Retained Young Player |
| 6th Year | Elite Retained Player |
This example makes the NYP retention pathway easier to understand.
So, hopefully, you now have a better understanding of how PKL player retention works. The system may look complicated at first, but once you understand the structure, it becomes much easier to follow.
How is a Retained Player’s Salary Decided?
Under the NYP contract system, player salaries are fixed. NYPs receive a small salary increment each season during their contract period.
For Elite Retained Players, salaries are generally decided based on the player’s category. However, the organizers have not publicly disclosed the exact percentage increase or the salary calculation formula.
So, that’s a simple explanation of the PKL player retention process, which has been in place since PKL Season 9 and is expected to remain the same for Season 13 as well.
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