WOMEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE (WPL) 2026 season will be held from 9 January to 5 February, with matches split between Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. The schedule for the fourth edition was unveiled by league chairman Jayesh George during the WPL auction in Delhi on Thursday.
DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, the venue where India recently won the Women’s ODI World Cup, will host the opening fixture and the first phase of the tournament. The league will then move to Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara, which will also stage the final on 5 February.
This will be the first time the WPL is played in the January-February window, after three editions traditionally held in February-March ahead of the Indian Premier League. Significantly, the 2026 season is set to avoid clashes with major international cricket for the first time.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians will aim to continue their strong run, having won two of the three editions so far. Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed the title in 2024, while Delhi Capitals have finished runners-up in every season to date. Just ten days after the WPL concludes, the Indian women’s team will depart for a full tour of Australia, featuring three T20Is, three ODIs, and a Test from 15 February to 9 March.
Earlier this year, the WPL expanded beyond two venues for the first time, with matches hosted across Lucknow, Vadodara, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the closest the league has come to a home-and-away format. UP Warriorz, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru all played at their respective home grounds. However, with the 2026 season reverting to a two-city model, similar to 2024, Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal reiterated his hope that the league will eventually secure a longer window to facilitate a full home-and-away structure.
