The fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is all set to commence tonight, i.e., January 9, with two-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Building on past seasons’ success, the WPL 2026 will include the league’s best teams and foreign players, as well as India’s finest talent, as it continues to increase awareness, investment, and fan involvement in the women’s game. With greater corporate sponsorship, excellent broadcast and digital reach, and a fast-rising fan base, the 2017 season is projected to have a significant impact on the future of women’s cricket in India and throughout the world.
The first 11 contests of the campaign will be played at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai from January 9 to 17, followed by the remaining 11 games, including the WPL 2026 final, at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara.
The format of the Women’s Premier League remains unchanged from the previous three seasons, with all teams playing each other twice during the league stage, which ends on February 1. The team at the top of the points table will advance directly to the final on February 5, while the second- and third-placed teams will compete in the Eliminator on February 3 for a spot in the summit battle.
Most WPL 2026 matches will be played in the evening. The only two afternoon games this season are UP Warriorz (UPW) against Gujarat Giants (GG) on January 10 and UPW vs MI on January 17. Both dates will also have double headers in Navi Mumbai.
The 2026 edition follows a mega auction in New Delhi next, during which all five teams revamped their squads for the next season. MI, RCB, and GG have maintained their WPL captains from last season.
Furthermore, three-time runners-up DC and UPW have taken a new approach to leadership, naming captains Jemimah Rodrigues and Meg Lanning, respectively. Rodrigues will take the captaincy for the first time in the WPL. Lanning, a frequent World Cup-winning captain for Australia, has guided DC to three consecutive finals and will take over as GG captain this season.
Where to Watch:
The fourth season of the cash-rich women’s T20 league can be enjoyed on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar.
