BCCI announces complete schedule for WPL 2026; Royal Challengers Bengaluru will battle Mumbai Indians in the opener

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the schedule for the TATA Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season. The fourth edition of the premier women’s T20 tournament is slated to run from January 9 to February 5, 2026. Following a caravan model for the second consecutive year, the league will be played across two host cities: Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. The season will begin with a highly anticipated rematch of the previous year’s finalists, promising high-intensity action from the start.

WPL 2026: Venue breakdown and key fixtures

The WPL 2026 season will utilize a two-city format, dividing the league and playoff matches between a major hub near Mumbai and a city in Gujarat. The league kicks off in Navi Mumbai on January 9 and will host the first segment of matches. This opening leg is packed with action, running for nine days until January 17, and will feature a total of 11 matches.

The tournament begins with a blockbuster opener: defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Following the conclusion of the first 11 games, the entire caravan will shift to Vadodara for the remainder of the tournament. The action in Vadodara will resume with a clash between Gujarat Giants (GG) and RCB, immediately followed by a rematch of the 2025 finalists, featuring Delhi Capitals (DC) against MI. The league phase in Vadodara will continue until February 1, setting the stage for the crucial playoff matches.

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Women’s Premier League: Road to the final and WPL 2026 schedule

The final leg of the TATA WPL 2026, including all playoff matches, will be hosted by Vadodara, culminating in the grand Final on February 5. The league maintains its proven structure, where the top team at the end of the league stage progresses directly to the championship match. The teams finishing second and third on the points table will then compete in the Eliminator on Tuesday, February 3.

The winner of this knockout match earns the right to face the table-topper in the title clash. The highly-anticipated Final is scheduled for Thursday, February 5, 2026, in Vadodara, where the next WPL champion will be crowned. The schedule adjustment, moving the tournament to January, was made to accommodate the Men’s T20 World Cup, which begins shortly after. The recent mega auction in New Delhi has reshaped the squads, setting up what the BCCI expects to be the most “riveting season yet” for women’s cricket.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.