Will the WPL 2026 be Held from Jan 9 to Feb 5 in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- WPL 2026 Dates: January 9 to February 5.
- Venues: Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.
- Opening Match: DY Patil Stadium.
- Final Match: Kotambi Stadium.
- Women's Cricket Revival: After India's ODI World Cup win.
New Delhi, Nov 27 (NationPress) The venues for the 2026 Women’s Premier League have been confirmed as Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, with matches scheduled from January 9 to February 5. The tournament will kick off at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, while the finale is set to take place at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
This announcement was made by WPL Committee Chairman Jayesh George just before the first-ever mega auction commenced in New Delhi on Thursday. According to sources, the WPL Committee convened around noon at the auction venue to finalize the important dates and venues, with the complete schedule expected to be released shortly.
As stated by George, the fourth WPL final is slated to occur just two days prior to the commencement of the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Reports suggest that the decision to host the latter half of WPL 2026 in Vadodara is influenced by the Kotambi Stadium also being designated for the men’s ODI series opener between India and New Zealand on January 11.
Vadodara previously hosted part of the WPL in 2025 and will now oversee the entire second half, including the crucial knockout stages and the championship match. This tournament will also signify the return of women’s cricket in WPL following India’s victory in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup on November 2.
Currently, the five teams—two-time champions Mumbai Indians, 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru, three-time runners-up Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, and Gujarat Giants—are focused on assembling a trophy-winning squad for the 2026 season.
During the mega auction, India’s ODI World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur was present at the MI table alongside Jhulan Goswami, new coach Lisa Keightley, and team owners. The DC team boasts a star-studded lineup with head coach Jonathan Batty and director of cricket Sourav Ganguly.
New UPW head coach Abhishek Nayar and mentor Lisa Sthalekar were also in attendance, while Pravin Tambe and Michael Klinger represented GG. RCB had newly appointed assistant coach Anya Shrubsole present alongside head coach Malolan Rangarajan.