WPL 2026 set to begin in January: Details here
What's the story
According to a report by Cricbuzz, the 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) season is set to kick off in early January, much earlier than the previous editions. India's premier T20 league for women has given a dedicated window for the WPL in the Future Tours Programme. This is similar to other women's leagues like the Big Bash League (WBBL) and The Hundred.
Tournament schedule
When will the WPL 2026 start?
As mentioned, the fourth WPL edition (2026) is likely to start on January 6 or 8. The final date for the same is yet to be confirmed. However, given that there are only 22 games in this season, it won't take more than 26-27 days to conclude. This means one can expect the tournament to wrap up by early February.
Uncertainty persists
Auction details and venue to be announced
The venues for the upcoming season are yet to be decided. Notably, Mumbai alone hosted the entire first season. The second season was held across Bengaluru and Delhi. Baroda, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mumbai were the venues for the third season. The BCCI is also expected to announce the auction details soon, including its date, venue, and salary cap size.
Team overview
Mumbai Indians are the defending champions
The five franchises competing in the WPL are Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. MI, who won the 2025 edition, are the two-time winners. They beat DC in two finals (2023 and 2025). Meanwhile, RCB won the second edition after beating DC. The upcoming season promises to be an exciting one with these strong teams battling it out for glory.