The Women’s Premier League returns on January 7, 2026, with the fourth edition running until February 3. The tournament comes at a perfect time for Indian fans who are still celebrating India Women’s historic ODI World Cup win. With excitement already high, the competition is expected to draw large crowds from the opening match.
The WPL starts in Mumbai at the DY Patil Stadium. The venue holds a special place in Indian women’s cricket as it hosted important matches during the recent World Cup run. The teams will then move to Baroda in mid-January, where Kotambi Stadium will host the second half of the competition along with the final.
The season has been moved to early January to avoid a clash with the ICC T20 World Cup, which takes place in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. The organizers also had to facilitate an ODI between India and New Zealand to be played in Baroda on January 11. The new dates will help keep the cricket calendar flexible and avoid overlaps.
Mumbai Indians Women enter the season as defending champions. They have won two of the three editions so far and are aiming for a third title. Their consistent success has once again made them the team to beat.
Lucknow and Bengaluru were also considered as possible hosts, but Mumbai and Baroda were finalized after location assessments. Both cities are expected to provide strong local support and good logistics for teams.
The player auction will take place on November 27, 2025 in New Delhi. It will be a one-day event. Franchises have already announced their retention and will now focus on filling key gaps in their rosters. Several teams are expected to target new talent after the World Cup performances put many new players in the spotlight.
Fans can look forward to a smooth two-city competition with a mix of veteran stars and emerging names. With India’s World Cup victory still fresh in our minds, the 2026 WPL will begin with more attention and energy than ever before.
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