WPL 2026 schedule was announced on Saturday, Nov 29
MI vs RCB will open the WPL 2026 season in Navi Mumbai
Harmanpreet Kaur's Mumbai Indians are the current holders of the trophy
The fourth edition of Women's Premier League (WPL) kicks off on January 9, 2026, with a blockbuster clash between Harmanpreet Kaur's Mumbai Indians and the Smriti Mandhana-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Navi Mumbai.
The complete schedule for the WPL 2026 was announced on Saturday (November 29, 2025). Besides the two former champions, the WPL 2026 will see Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz compete for the title.
With that, here's a look at five key takeaways:
1. Dates, Times, And Venues
Spread across two venues -- Navi Mumbai and Vadodara -- the 28-day competition will run in a tighter window and begin earlier than previous editions to avoid clashing with the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The 22 league fixtures are evenly divided between the two cities. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will stage the opening 11 matches from January 9 to 17. The remaining 11 games, including the play-offs, will be played at Vadodara's Kotambi Stadium between January 18 and February 1.
The league phase will feature two double-headers, both on Saturdays (January 10 and 17). Apart from the two early starts on these days, all matches will be played in the evening. UP Warriorz are involved in both afternoon encounters. Match timings for the afternoon and evening slots are yet to be finalised.
2. WPL 2026 Format
The tournament will be played in the Twenty20 format, with the five teams meeting each other twice during the league stage. The team finishing on top of the points table qualify directly for the final, while the second and third-placed sides fight in a one-off Eliminator, with the winners advancing to the title clash.
In their opening fixtures, defending champions Mumbai Indians meet 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while UP Warriorz square off against Gujarat Giants. Delhi Capitals, three-time finalists, begin their campaign with a showdown against MI -- both matches scheduled for January 10.
3. WPL 2026 Playoffs
The WPL playoffs commence with the Eliminator on February 3, followed by the final on February 5. For the first time, the title clash will be played on a weekday (Thursday).
For the record, Mumbai Indians clinched the inaugural title, defeating Delhi Capitals by seven wickets. The Capitals reached the finals in the following seasons as well, but fell short -- losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by eight wickets and to MI, again, by eight runs.
4. WPL 2026 Mega Auction Impact
The upcoming WPL 2026 season brings extra excitement and added intrigue as it follows the first-ever mega auction. Held on November 28 in Delhi, the auction significantly reshaped team line-ups.
Big signings such as Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, and Meg Lanning for UP Warriorz, Amelia Kerr for Mumbai Indians, and Sophie Devine for Gujarat Giants have heightened anticipation.
Beyond revamped squads, the league has also broadened its commercial reach with fresh sponsorship agreements.
5. Open Window
For the first time, the WPL will run without overlapping major international fixtures, allowing the league to draw top global talent without players having to choose between franchise duty and national commitments.
This elevates both the standard of competition and the stature of the tournament, now recognised as the most lucrative franchise-based T20 event in women's cricket.
For the BCCI, the organisers, this helps elevate WPL's positioning as a flagship event in the women's cricket calendar, no longer squeezed into gaps between bilateral series and ICC events.
And for the teams and fans, the availability of global talent throughout the season means they will get to see full‑strength squads, with marquee overseas stars in action.
