WPL 2026 to start on January 9; DY Patil and Vadodara to host matches

The adjustment in schedule comes ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to take place in February-March next year.

With the Women's Premier League 2026 Auction ongoing today, the schedule for next year's WPL 2026 season has been confirmed by BCCI with the 5-team tournament beginning from January 9 and will be played across 2 venues in Mumbai and Vadodara.  The fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has actually been preponed and is now scheduled for the January–February window. This adjustment comes ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to take place in February–March next year.  Hosts and Venues  The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that WPL 2026 matches will be played across two cities: Mumbai and Baroda. Earlier, Lucknow and Bengaluru were also considered, but the final decision focuses on the two western cities to streamline logistics and maximize fan engagement. 

 

  Mumbai to Kick Off the Season  The opening leg of the tournament will be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, the venue that recently witnessed India Women’s historic World Cup triumph. This stadium is expected to host the opening match and the first half of the season, providing a grand start to the league.  Baroda to Host the Second Leg  For the second half of the tournament, teams will move to Kotambi Stadium in Baroda. Matches here are likely to begin from January 16, marking the start of the concluding leg of the league. With Mumbai Indians Women and Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women having previously dominated the WPL, fans can look forward to another exciting season in these two iconic venues.