The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is all set to get underway, and there’s plenty to look forward to. With a mega auction already done and a packed schedule ahead, WPL 2026 promises top-quality cricket, big names, and high-stakes matches right from the start.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians will kick off the season against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, setting the tone for what could be the most competitive WPL yet.
Here’s a complete, no-nonsense guide to WPL 2026.
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When does WPL 2026 start? Full schedule details
WPL 2026 begins on January 9, 2026, with Mumbai Indians hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match.
The tournament will run for just under a month, with the final scheduled for February 5, 2026.
WPL 2026 venues: Where will matches be played?
The entire season will be hosted across two venues:
- DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai
- BCA Stadium, Vadodara
Navi Mumbai will host 11 matches until January 17, after which the tournament moves to Vadodara for the remaining 11 games, including the playoffs and the final.
Teams missing big stars this season
WPL 2026 will see a few notable absentees. Ellyse Perry (RCB) and Annabel Sutherland (Delhi Capitals) have withdrawn for personal reasons. RCB have roped in Sayali Satghare as Perry’s replacement, while Delhi Capitals have signed Alana King.
Several international stars including Alyssa Healy, Chamari Athapaththu, and Heather Knight went unsold at the auction. Meanwhile, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, and Sophie Molineux did not register for the season.
WPL 2026 format explained
The format remains simple and viewer-friendly.
League stage
- All five teams play each other twice in a round-robin format.
Playoffs
- Eliminator: Teams finishing second and third face off.
- Final: Eliminator winner vs table-toppers.
This structure rewards consistency while still keeping the knockout drama alive.
Captains for WPL 2026
- Mumbai Indians: Harmanpreet Kaur
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana
- Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues
- Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner
- UP Warriorz: Meg Lanning
Live streaming and TV broadcast: Where to watch WPL 2026
Fans across the globe can catch the action live on the following platforms:
- India: Star Sports, JioHotstar
- Australia: Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
- England: Sky Sports
- South Africa: SuperSport
- USA: Willow TV
WPL 2026 full squads
Mumbai Indians
Harmanpreet Kaur, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amanjot Kaur, G. Kamalini, Amelia Kerr, Shabnim Ismail, Sanskriti Gupta, Sajana Sajeevan, Rahila Firdous, Nicola Carey, Poonam Khemnar, Triveni Vasistha, Nalla Reddy, Saika Ishaque, Milly Illingworth
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Delhi Capitals
Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Shree Charani, Sneh Rana, Lizelle Lee, Deeya Yadav, Taniyaa Bhatia, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandni Sharma, Lucy Hamilton, Minnu Mani
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris, Gautami Naik, Prathyoosha Kumar, D. Hemalatha
Gujarat Giants
Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh Thakur, Bharti Fulmali, Titas Sadhu, Kashee Gautam, Kanika Ahuja, Tanuja Kanwer, Georgia Wareham, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Kim Garth, Yastika Bhatia, Shivani Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ayushi Soni
UP Warriorz
Shweta Sehrawat, Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Meg Lanning, Phoebe Litchfield, Kiran Navgire, Harleen Deol, Kranti Goud, Asha Sobhana, Deandra Dottin, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Tara Norris, Chloe Tryon, Suman Meena, G. Trisha, Pratika Rawal
What to expect this season
With experienced captains, balanced squads, and packed venues, WPL 2026 looks primed to push women’s franchise cricket in India to the next level. The early Mumbai vs RCB clash could be a tone-setter, but don’t be surprised if the playoff race goes right down to the wire.
