The fifth edition of the Women’s Premier League will be played from January 14 to February 7, 2027, with the BCCI also confirming an October 28 player auction in Kochi as the five franchises begin preparations for the new season.
Teams will have until September 28 to finalize their player retentions, creating a one-month window before the auction for franchises to determine the positions they need to fill and strengthen their squads.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India said in an official statement: “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the key dates for the TATA Women’s Premier League 2027, with the fifth edition scheduled to be played from 14 January to 7 February 2027.”
WPL 2027 auction heads to Kochi
The October 28 auction will take place at the Grand Hyatt Kochi and will be a mini-auction, following the mega-auction held in Delhi ahead of the previous season, where 73 player slots were filled.
Each franchise can assemble a squad of up to 18 players, including a maximum of six overseas players, with the salary cap for the current cycle set at INR 15 crore (approximately US$1.56 million). There is no limit on the number of players franchises can retain.
The BCCI said in an official statement: “The first milestone ahead of the new season will be the Player Retention deadline on 28 September 2026. The five franchises will have the opportunity to retain players from their existing squads as they begin putting their combinations in place for the new season. The next phase of squad building will take place at the TATA WPL Player Auction on 28 October 2026. The auction will be held at the Grand Hyatt Kochi, where the five franchises will look to complete and strengthen their squads for the upcoming edition.”
Last season’s mega-auction was led by Deepti Sharma, who was acquired by UP Warriorz for INR 3.2 crore (approximately US$333K). Mumbai Indians secured Melie Kerr for INR 3 crore (approximately US$313K), while UP Warriorz also signed Shikha Pandey for INR 2.4 crore (approximately US$250K).
Mumbai and Vadodara emerge as likely hosts
The BCCI has not announced the match venues for WPL 2027. According to Cricbuzz, the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai and Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara have been identified as the likely venues, having also staged the previous season.
Varanasi has also been discussed as a possible option, but its involvement would depend on the readiness of the city’s new stadium and the venue first being tested through domestic cricket.
According to Sportstar, Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium and Kotambi Stadium are in line to stage the WPL, with both venues also set to host matches in the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy shortly after the league. Sportstar also identified Varanasi as a potential third venue if its stadium is ready in time.
WPL leads into Women’s Champions Trophy
The January 14-February 7 WPL window places the tournament immediately before the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to run in India from February 14 to 28.
The six-team Champions Trophy will be played in the T20I format, featuring Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. The teams will compete in a round-robin phase before the top two advance to the February 28 final.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter WPL 2027 as defending champions after winning their second title earlier this year by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final. Mumbai Indians are the competition’s other two-time champions, while Delhi Capitals have finished runners-up in each of the four editions.
The BCCI said in an official statement: “As the biggest T20 league in women’s cricket, the TATA WPL has established itself as a significant platform for the growth of the sport, bringing together leading players from India and around the world while creating opportunities for emerging talent to perform at the highest level.”
