Key venues emerge for WPL 2026
The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is expected to return with a fresh structure and familiar venues, as Navi Mumbai and Vadodara are likely to host the 2026 edition, according to multiple reports. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has narrowed down DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara for the marquee tournament, with fixtures likely to span from January 7 to February 3.
According to reports, the opening leg of the competition is set to begin at DY Patil Stadium — a venue with deep emotional resonance for India’s players. Harmanpreet Kaur reflected on that connection at the post match press conference following her team’s ODI World Cup triumph, saying, “As soon as we got to know that our venue had been changed to DY Patil Stadium, we all got so happy because we’ve always played good cricket there. The biggest thing is the crowd, it’s always so supportive. So, when the venue changed from Bangalore, we all started messaging in the group. We were manifesting. We said, ‘The final is going to be there, we won’t leave it now.’ As soon as we reached Mumbai, we said, ‘We’ve come home now, and we’ll start fresh.’ We didn’t want to look back at previous World Cups, we left them there. The new World Cup had just started.”
Staggered schedule driven by international calendar
The WPL’s 2026 schedule appears shaped by the broader international calendar, particularly the men’s T20 World Cup, set to begin in early February across India and Sri Lanka. To avoid overlap, January is being considered a fixed window for the WPL going forward.
While the BCCI has not officially confirmed the dates or venues, preparations are underway. “A formal decision regarding this will be taken at the WPL Governing Council meeting on Nov 26 in Delhi (a day before the WPL mega auction in the Capital on Nov 27), but it has been communicated to the franchises to make their hotel bookings in both cities,” a source tracking WPL developments told TOI.
Further details on the split-venue model suggest a practical reason behind the division. “The tournament is likely to start at the DY Patil Stadium. A large chunk of the matches will be held there, before the last leg moves to Vadodara. Vadodara can’t stage the first leg because the Kotambi Stadium is hosting the India versus New Zealand ODI on Jan 11, and the Indian team will be in Vadodara from Jan 6-12,” the source added.
Official announcement and auction approaching
Confirmation of the full WPL 2026 schedule is expected shortly. “We will have a meeting on November 26 to finalise the venues and fixtures for the next edition of WPL,” a BCCI official told PTI.
The WPL auction will follow on November 27 in New Delhi, with five teams preparing to lock in key talent. Defending champions Mumbai Indians will return to the competition, having previously won titles in 2023 and 2025. Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed the 2024 championship, while Delhi Capitals, despite three consecutive finals, released their captain Meg Lanning ahead of this year’s auction.
The purse sizes for the upcoming auction vary: UP Warriorz lead with ₹14.5 crore (approx. US$1.6 million), followed by Gujarat Giants at ₹9 crore (approx. US$1 million). Royal Challengers Bengaluru have ₹6.15 crore (approx. US$694,000), Mumbai Indians ₹5.75 crore (approx. US$649,000), and Delhi Capitals ₹5.7 crore (approx. US$643,000).
Star players like Deepti Sharma — the recent Women’s ODI World Cup Player of the Tournament — are expected to headline the auction alongside Australia’s Alyssa Healy, Amelia Kerr, and the now-unattached Lanning.
As anticipation builds, the WPL 2026 is shaping into a pivotal chapter for women’s cricket in India — with two iconic venues ready to host what promises to be another landmark season.
