women ipl start date 2026 with January 6 or 8 being reported as possible dates.
Women’s Premier League 2026: An Early Start and a Mega Reset
The Women’s Premier League (WPL), India’s premier women’s T20 franchise cricket tournament, is gearing up for its fourth season in 2026, promising a pivotal year of structural shifts and renewed on-field rivalries. The season is not just a return to the pitch, but a testament to the growing stature of women’s cricket, now firmly securing its own window in the global cricket calendar.
🗓️ A New Window for a Grand Show
One of the most significant changes for the WPL 2026 season is the shifting of the tournament window. Moving away from its traditional February-March slot, the fourth edition is tentatively scheduled to begin in the first week of January 2026, with likely start dates around January 6th or 8th, and an expected wrap-up by early February.
This strategic rescheduling by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is primarily to avoid a clash with the Men’s T20 World Cup which is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka later in 2026. Securing this dedicated slot in the women’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) underlines the WPL’s commitment to providing a clear, competitive platform for players and ensuring maximum fan engagement without competing with other major ICC events.
💰 The Mega Auction: A Squad Shake-Up
Anticipation is at an all-time high as the WPL is set to host its first-ever Mega Auction ahead of the 2026 season. Expected to take place in November 2025 in New Delhi, this event will see all five franchises—Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz—strategically rebuild their squads.
The introduction of a mega auction means teams can only retain a maximum of five players from their existing roster. New rules also bring the Right to Match (RTM) card into play for the first time, allowing franchises to buy back a maximum of five of their released players by matching the highest bid at the auction. Teams will enter the auction with a player purse of INR 15 crore, forcing difficult but exciting decisions on retentions to balance star overseas talent with promising domestic Indian players. The retention deadline is a crucial date for franchises, expected to be around November 5th, 2025.
⭐ Impact on Indian Cricket and Rivalries
The WPL has already proven to be a transformative force, significantly bridging the gap between Indian domestic and international women’s cricket. Young, uncapped players have used the league as a launchpad for national team selection, a trend set to be amplified by the upcoming mega auction which will infuse fresh talent and new dynamics into the existing team combinations.
Two-time champions Mumbai Indians will look to defend their title, while Delhi Capitals, runners-up in multiple seasons, will be determined to finally cross the finish line. The new squads, new coaches (like the recent appointment of Anya Shrubsole for RCB), and a potentially expanded list of match venues will only intensify the rivalries, offering spectators a high-octane season of T20 cricket. The early start in January sets the stage for what promises to be a thrilling and highly consequential season for the Women’s Premier League.
- Dates: The league is expected to run from early January and conclude by early February 2026, featuring 22 matches.
- Teams: The same five franchises will compete: Mumbai Indians (the defending champions), Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and UP Warriorz.
- Format: The tournament will follow a round-robin format with a playoff stage, maintaining the structure of previous seasons.
- Venues: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is exploring the possibility of expanding the number of host cities to meet growing fan interest, potentially including more venues than the 2025 season which was held in Vadodara, Bengaluru, Lucknow, and Mumbai.
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