Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026
India's leading women's franchise-based T20 cricket competition. Explore WPL 2026 teams, schedule, fixtures, results, points table, squads, venues, records, winners, history and tournament format.
WPL 2026 at a Glance
The Women's Premier League 2026 was the fourth season of India's premier women's T20 franchise competition. Follow the latest WPL 2026 schedule, teams, fixtures, results and points table.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Women's Premier League |
| Abbreviation | WPL |
| Format | Twenty20 (T20) |
| Country | India |
| Organised By | Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) |
| First Season | 2023 |
| 2026 Edition | 4th Season |
| Teams | 5 Franchises |
| 2026 Start Date | 9 January 2026 |
| 2026 Final Date | 5 February 2026 |
| 2026 Champion | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2026 Runner-up | Delhi Capitals |
| Most Successful | Mumbai Indians & RCB (2 titles each) |
| Live Broadcast | Sports 18 / Star Sports Network |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
What is the Women's Premier League?
The Women's Premier League (WPL) is India's leading women's franchise-based T20 cricket competition. The tournament brings together domestic and international players across a small group of city-based franchises, creating a dedicated platform for women's professional T20 cricket in India.
The league was introduced in 2023 and has quickly become an important part of the women's cricket calendar. Along with experienced international players, the competition gives Indian cricketers an opportunity to play high-level franchise cricket and develop their skills in a competitive environment.
You can also explore other major competitions, including the Indian Premier League, Tamil Nadu Premier League and Women's Asia Cup.
WPL 2026 Season Summary
The 2026 Women's Premier League was the fourth season of the competition. The tournament continued the five-team format, with the participating franchises competing through the league stage before the playoffs and final.
The season began on 9 January 2026 at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, before moving to the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara for the latter half of the league stage and the entire playoff phase.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished the 2026 season as champions after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final on 5 February 2026. It was RCB's second WPL title, following their championship in 2024.
WPL 2026 Teams
The Women's Premier League currently has five franchise teams. Each franchise represents a different Indian market and builds its squad using a combination of Indian and overseas players.
WPL 2026 Captains
Every WPL franchise has a designated captain who leads the team during the season.
| Team | Captain | Home City | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi Capitals | Jemimah Rodrigues | Delhi | First-time WPL captain; led India A and Mumbai age-group teams |
| Gujarat Giants | Ashleigh Gardner | Gujarat | 3x ICC Women's T20 World Cup champion; led GG to maiden playoffs in 2025 |
| Mumbai Indians | Harmanpreet Kaur | Mumbai | Most successful WPL captain (2 titles); led India to 2025 ODI World Cup win |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Smriti Mandhana | Bengaluru | Led RCB to 2024 & 2026 titles; India's top run-scorer in 2025 ODI World Cup |
| UP Warriorz | Meg Lanning | Lucknow | 5x T20 World Cup & 2x ODI World Cup winning captain; 3x WPL finalist with DC |
WPL Format
The Women's Premier League is played as a T20 competition with a league stage followed by playoffs.
Round-Robin League
All 5 teams play each other twice in a double round-robin format (8 matches per team).
Qualifier 1
Top two teams from the league stage face off. Winner goes directly to the Final.
Eliminator
3rd and 4th placed teams clash. Loser is eliminated; winner advances to Qualifier 2.
Final
Qualifier 1 winner vs Qualifier 2 winner compete for the WPL championship trophy.
Teams earn 2 points for a win and 1 point each for a no-result. Net Run Rate (NRR) is used to separate teams level on points. The top three teams in the standings advance to the playoffs, with the 3rd and 4th placed teams contesting the Eliminator.
This compact format allows the tournament to be completed within a relatively short period while still giving each franchise multiple opportunities to compete.
WPL 2026 Schedule & Fixtures
The WPL 2026 schedule featured 22 matches across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. Check our live cricket scores page for updates.
WPL 2026 Points Table
Final team standings from the WPL 2026 league stage.
| Pos | Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai Indians | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 | +1.234 |
| 2 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 | +0.876 |
| 3 | Delhi Capitals | 8 | 5 | 3 | 10 | +0.432 |
| 4 | Gujarat Giants | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | -0.156 |
| 5 | UP Warriorz | 8 | 1 | 7 | 2 | -2.386 |
WPL 2026 Squads
Complete squads of all five WPL 2026 teams after the mega auction.
| Team | Captain | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians | Harmanpreet Kaur | Nat Sciver-Brunt, Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Shabnim Ismail, Amanjot Kaur |
| Delhi Capitals | Jemimah Rodrigues | Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt, Lizelle Lee, Shree Charani |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Smriti Mandhana | Richa Ghosh, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil |
| Gujarat Giants | Ashleigh Gardner | Beth Mooney, Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Renuka Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad |
| UP Warriorz | Meg Lanning | Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Phoebe Litchfield, Harleen Deol, Shikha Pandey |
WPL 2026 Venues
The WPL 2026 was hosted across selected venues, including Vadodara, where the final was played.
Past WPL Venues: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Brabourne Stadium (Mumbai), Ekana Cricket Stadium (Lucknow)
WPL History
The Women's Premier League was introduced in 2023 to establish a dedicated franchise competition for women's T20 cricket in India. Before the WPL, women's domestic franchise cricket had been represented by the Women's T20 Challenge, which operated on a much smaller scale.
The arrival of the WPL created a larger platform for Indian women's cricketers and brought international players into a structured franchise tournament. Mumbai Indians won the first WPL title in 2023. Royal Challengers Bengaluru followed with the 2024 championship, Mumbai Indians returned as winners in 2025, and RCB claimed the title again in 2026.
Within just four completed seasons, the WPL has established two champions with multiple titles: Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The league continues to grow in popularity and significance in the women's cricket calendar.
WPL Winners List
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Player of the Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Hayley Matthews (MI) |
| 2024 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Delhi Capitals | Ellyse Perry (RCB) |
| 2025 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Deepti Sharma (UPW) |
| 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Delhi Capitals | — |
The first four seasons have produced two champions, with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning two titles each. Delhi Capitals have finished as runners-up in all four seasons.
WPL Records
Why the WPL Is Important in Women's Cricket
The Women's Premier League has added a major professional franchise platform to India's women's cricket structure. Indian players can now regularly compete in a high-profile T20 environment alongside international teammates and opponents.
For emerging cricketers, the league provides exposure to different playing styles, professional coaching setups and high-pressure matches. It has also increased the visibility of women's domestic cricket and created more opportunities for players who are building careers in the T20 format.
The WPL's continued development is therefore important not only for the franchises themselves but also for the wider growth of women's cricket in India. You can also follow the Women's Asia Cup for more international women's cricket action.
WPL FAQs
What is the Women's Premier League?
The Women's Premier League (WPL) is India's premier women's franchise-based T20 cricket competition, organised by the BCCI. It features five city-based franchises competing in a T20 format.
When did the WPL start?
The first WPL season was played in 2023, with Mumbai Indians winning the inaugural tournament by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final.
How many teams are currently in the WPL?
The WPL currently has 5 franchises: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and UP Warriorz.
Who won WPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won WPL 2026 after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final at Baroda Cricket Association Stadium, Vadodara.
Who won the first WPL?
Mumbai Indians won the inaugural WPL season in 2023, defeating Delhi Capitals by 143 runs in the final.
How many WPL titles have Mumbai Indians won?
Mumbai Indians have won 2 WPL titles (2023 and 2025), making them one of the most successful teams alongside Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
How many WPL titles have Royal Challengers Bengaluru won?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won 2 WPL titles (2024 and 2026), both under the captaincy of Smriti Mandhana.
What format is played in the WPL?
WPL matches are played in the T20 format, with each side having a maximum of 20 overs to bat. The tournament follows a double round-robin league stage followed by playoffs.
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