WPL 2027 begins January 14 with RCB vs MI opener in Vadodara
Synopsis
WPL 2027 opens on January 14 with defending champions RCB taking on two-time winners MI in Vadodara — a blockbuster curtain-raiser to a 22-match tournament that climaxes with a February 7 final, before both host venues pivot straight into the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy a week later.
Key Takeaways
WPL 2027 runs from January 14 to February 7, 2027 , across 22 matches and two venues.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru open against two-time winners Mumbai Indians in Vadodara on January 14 .
BCA Stadium, Vadodara hosts the first 11 games (January 14–24); Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai hosts the final nine league matches plus both playoffs.
All matches — including playoffs — begin at 7:30 pm IST with no afternoon fixtures.
The Eliminator is on February 5 and the Final on February 7 .
Both venues will host the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy from February 14 to 28 , immediately after the WPL final.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will launch the fifth edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL 2027) against two-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 14, 2027. The tournament runs through February 7, with the 22-match league stage and playoffs split equally between Vadodara and Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium.
Venues and Schedule Structure
Vadodara's Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Stadium will stage the opening 11 matches from January 14 to 24, before the competition shifts to Brabourne Stadium, home of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai. After a rest day on January 25, the Mumbai leg hosts the remaining nine league games from January 26 to February 3, along with both playoff fixtures.
Both venues carry significant WPL history. The Brabourne Stadium hosted matches in the 2023 and 2025 seasons, including both finals — won by MI on each occasion. The BCA Stadium in Vadodara hosted WPL games in 2025 and 2026 and staged last season's final, which RCB claimed to win the title for the first time.
Format and Playoffs
Each of the five teams — RCB, MI, Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals, and UP Warriorz — will face the other four sides twice in the league stage. The table-toppers advance directly to the Final on February 7, while the second- and third-placed sides contest the Eliminator on February 5 for the remaining berth. A rest day precedes each playoff match. Notably, all matches — including playoffs — start at 7:30 pm IST, with no afternoon fixtures scheduled across the entire tournament.
Opening Weekend and Key Clashes
The opening weekend is packed with marquee matchups. Gujarat Giants face UP Warriorz on January 15, followed by RCB vs Delhi Capitals on January 16 and MI vs UP Warriorz on January 17. The RCB-MI rematch is set for January 26, doubling as the first fixture of the Mumbai leg — a repeat of the season opener in Vadodara.
Gujarat Giants are the designated home side in four of their Vadodara fixtures, while Mumbai Indians carry that status for four league matches at Brabourne. The league stage concludes on February 3 with Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz.
WPL 2027 and the ICC Women's Champions Trophy
The timing is strategically significant: both Vadodara and Mumbai will transition directly into hosting the inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy, scheduled from February 14 to 28 — just one week after the WPL final. This makes the two venues the centrepiece of a nearly six-week unbroken stretch of elite women's cricket in India, underlining the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) expanding investment in the women's game.
Full WPL 2027 Schedule
Vadodara (BCA Stadium)
January 14: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians
January 15: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz
January 16: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
January 17: UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians
January 18: Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals
January 19: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz
January 20: Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians
January 21: UP Warriorz vs Delhi Capitals
January 22: Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
January 23: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians
January 24: UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants
January 25: Rest day
Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium, CCI)
January 26: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
January 27: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Giants
January 28: Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz
January 29: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals
January 30: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants
January 31: UP Warriorz vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
February 1: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals
February 2: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Giants
February 3: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz
February 4: Rest day
February 5: Eliminator
February 6: Rest day
February 7: Final
With the ICC Women's Champions Trophy following immediately after, WPL 2027 sets up an unprecedented run of women's cricket that could define a new era for the sport in India.
Point of View
And by extension India, as the global hub for women's cricket in early 2027. What is worth watching is whether the consolidation of fixtures into just two grounds deepens fan bases in Vadodara and Mumbai, or whether the absence of Delhi, Bengaluru, and other franchise home cities caps the league's national footprint. The RCB-MI opener is a smart ratings anchor, but the real test of WPL's growth is whether the mid-table matches in Vadodara draw comparable crowds. Women's cricket in India has surged in viewership, but stadium attendance remains the next frontier.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When does WPL 2027 start and end?
WPL 2027 begins on January 14, 2027, with the RCB vs MI opener in Vadodara, and concludes with the Final on February 7 at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. The tournament spans 25 days including rest days.
Where are WPL 2027 matches being held?
All 22 WPL 2027 matches are split between two venues: BCA Stadium in Vadodara (January 14–24) and Brabourne Stadium at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai (January 26–February 7). No other cities are on the schedule.
Which teams are playing in WPL 2027?
Five teams compete in WPL 2027: defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals, and UP Warriorz. Each team plays the other four twice in the league stage.
How does the WPL 2027 playoff format work?
The team finishing top of the league table qualifies directly for the Final on February 7. The second- and third-placed sides meet in the Eliminator on February 5, with the winner taking the second spot in the Final.
What follows WPL 2027 at the same venues?
The inaugural ICC Women's Champions Trophy is scheduled from February 14 to 28, just one week after the WPL Final. Both Vadodara's BCA Stadium and Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium will serve as host venues for that tournament as well.
