WPL 2027 auction is likely to be held in Kochi on October 28
Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium is set to host matches, with Vadodara or Varanasi under consideration as the second venue
IPL Governing Council defers decision on the Impact Player rule until next month
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction is likely to be held in Kochi on October 28, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also working on the venue plans for the upcoming season.
According to media reports, The Times of India has reported that the BCCI has decided to stage WPL 2027 matches at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, while the second venue is likely to be either Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara or the new stadium in Varanasi.
"It has been decided that Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium will stage WPL-2027 matches," a source tracking developments told TOI on Wednesday.
The BCCI is currently exploring the possibility of taking the tournament to Varanasi, with the new stadium in the city set to undergo an inspection.
"The second city for staging the WPL will be either Vadodara (Kotambi Stadium) or the new stadium in Varanasi. The BCCI is exploring the possibility of staging matches at Varanasi right now," the source said.
A BCCI cricket operations team will assess the Varanasi venue before it is considered for WPL matches. Since the stadium is new, the board is also looking at conducting domestic or practice games there.
"A BCCI cricket operations team will conduct a recce of the Varanasi stadium, and assess whether it is ready or not to stage the tournament. Since it's a new venue, we also need to conduct a few domestic/practice matches as well there," the source told TOI.
The possibility of using Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium was also discussed, although the venue would require permissions from local authorities.
"The possibility of hosting WPL matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was also discussed, but then it requires quite a few permissions from the local authorities," the source informed.
Brabourne Stadium and Kotambi Stadium are also scheduled to host matches during the inaugural six-team ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027, which will be played from February 14 to 28.
Brabourne Stadium has hosted two WPL finals, with the Mumbai venue staging the inaugural final in 2023 and the 2025 final. It did not host matches in 2026 as new floodlights were being installed.
The stadium will also be Railways’ home venue for the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season, with three matches scheduled to be played there.
Vadodara hosted the WPL 2026 final, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Delhi Capitals by six wickets.
IPL Impact Player Rule Decision Deferred
Meanwhile, the BCCI has deferred a decision on the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL) until next month.
The IPL Governing Council discussed the rule during its meeting on Tuesday, with franchises having already submitted their feedback to the BCCI.
"All the franchisees have submitted their feedback on the rule. That feedback will be assessed, and a final decision taken next month," a source added.
According to The Times of India, a majority of IPL franchises have expressed reservations about the rule after the BCCI sought their views.
The Impact Player rule allows teams to introduce an additional batter or bowler during a match. The provision has also led to deeper batting line-ups and higher team totals during the tournament.
The rule has also prompted discussions around its impact on the development of all-rounders in Indian cricket.
