New Delhi, Nov 17 (NationPress) The upcoming season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in 2026 is anticipated to kick off in early January, with a conclusive announcement regarding the venues expected shortly, according to sources familiar with the developments who spoke to IANS on Monday. The previous season, WPL 2025, was hosted in Lucknow, Bengaluru, Vadodara, and Mumbai, culminating in a victory for the Mumbai Indians (MI), led by Harmanpreet Kaur, at the Brabourne Stadium.

For WPL 2026, it is reported that the competition could commence on January 7, with alternative dates of January 6 and January 8 also under consideration. The final is projected to take place between February 1 and 3, contingent upon the confirmed dates for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup.

The final date for WPL 2026 is likely to be set five days prior to the start of the men’s T20 World Cup, which will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. This marks the inaugural occurrence of WPL being conducted in January, as per the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP), after previous editions in February and March.

Regarding venues, reports indicate that two configurations were discussed during an informal meeting among BCCI officials prior to the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup final, which India secured by 52 runs at the DY Patil Stadium, marking their first title in senior women’s cricket.

“One proposal is to host the tournament at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, a venue now synonymous with the women's Indian team, alongside the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. Alternatively, the first half of the competition could take place in Navi Mumbai, followed by the second half at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara,” a WPL insider informed IANS.

The decision to potentially hold the latter part of WPL 2026 in Vadodara aligns with the stadium's engagement in the men's ODI series opener between India and New Zealand on January 11. It is expected that official announcements regarding dates and venues may occur during the WPL 2026 mega auction scheduled for November 27 in New Delhi.

“The likelihood of Vadodara being an additional venue for WPL 2026 is quite high. Everyone is eagerly awaiting confirmation and the schedule. We're just keeping our fingers crossed for the official announcement. Numerous inquiries have been made, including from WPL team owners,” a senior official from the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) conveyed to IANS.