What Changes Are Coming in the New FBM Rule as Over 500 Kabaddi Stars Hit the Auction Block for PKL 12?

Mumbai, May 30 (NationPress) The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 12 player auction is scheduled for May 31 and June 1, featuring a thrilling lineup of elite Indian and international kabaddi talents. This year's auction introduces significant transformations, including a revamped Final Bid Match (FBM) rule, and boasts an impressive pool of over 500 athletes available for bidding.

Among the prominent names in this star-studded player pool are top Indian players like Pawan Sehrawat, Arjun Deshwal, Ashu Malik, and Devank Dalal (the top raider from PKL 11), in addition to international giants such as Fazel Atrachali and Mohammadreza Shadloui. Legendary players like Maninder Singh and Pardeep Narwal also make their return to the auction, while Naveen Kumar enters the PKL Player Auction for the first time after a six-season tenure with Dabang Delhi K.C.

This year's PKL player auction marks a historic moment as, for the first time, every champion player from Seasons 1 to 11 is available in the auction pool. Whether it’s record-breaking raiders or pivotal defenders, every franchise now has a chance to sign the remarkable athletes who have shaped PKL’s most significant events.

The highlight of the Season 12 auction is the new Final Bid Match (FBM) rule designed to foster long-term squad development and enhanced team stability. Previously, teams could retain a player for just one season using the FBM. Now, franchises have the flexibility to retain a player for either one or two seasons when utilizing their FBM.

According to the revised FBM rule, when a player from Season 11 receives the highest bid from another franchise, the auctioneer will ask the player’s former team if they wish to use their FBM. If they opt to do so, they must immediately raise either the one-season or two-season FBM card—the first card raised will be deemed final. If the team exercises the FBM, they secure the player at the final bid price; otherwise, the player goes to the highest bidder.

The number of FBM cards available to a team correlates with the number of Elite Retained Players (ERPs); retaining 6 ERPs allows for 1 FBM, 5 ERPs for 2 FBMs, and 4 or fewer ERPs permit 3 FBMs.

For this year’s auction, all teams can utilize up to 3 FBMs, except for the UP Yoddhas, who are eligible for only 2 FBMs.

A total of 83 players have been retained by the 12 PKL franchises prior to the auction; this includes 25 in the Elite Retained Players (ERP) category, 23 in the Retained Young Players (RYP) category, and 35 in the New Young Players (NYP) category. This leaves a maximum of 217 slots to be filled during the Player Auction.

Each franchise begins with a salary purse of Rs 5 crore, subject to adjustments for any retained players. Teams are permitted to have a minimum of two and a maximum of four overseas players in their squads.

Players have been classified into four categories: Category A – Rs 30 lakh, Category B – Rs 20 lakh, Category C – Rs 13 lakh, Category D – Rs 9 lakh.