Mumbai: The fifth edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) will be played from January 14 to February 7, 2027, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Wednesday. The player auction for the upcoming season will take place on October 28, 2026, in Kochi, while the deadline for franchises to retain players from their existing squads has been fixed for September 28.
The BCCI has announced the key dates for the 2027 season but has not yet revealed the host cities for the tournament. The announcement gives the five franchises an early timeline to finalise their squads and combinations ahead of the next edition.
The WPL has grown into a major domestic T20 competition for women’s cricket since its launch in 2023. The league brings together leading Indian and overseas players while also providing a platform for emerging cricketers to compete alongside established international names.
WPL 2027 dates announced
The tournament will run for nearly three-and-a-half weeks, beginning on January 14 and concluding on February 7, 2027. The BCCI has not released the complete fixture list or confirmed the venues where the matches will be staged.
The player auction will precede the tournament by more than two months. It is scheduled to take place in Kochi on October 28, giving the franchises an opportunity to strengthen their squads after the retention process is completed.
The five teams will first have to decide which players they want to retain. The September 28 retention deadline will be an important date in the build-up to the auction.
The BCCI said the franchises will have the opportunity to retain players from their existing squads as they begin preparing their combinations for the new season.
Host cities yet to be confirmed
While the dates for WPL 2027 have been announced, the BCCI has not disclosed the host cities for the tournament.
In the 2026 edition, matches were staged in Navi Mumbai and Baroda. The 2027 season could therefore see another multi-city format, although the BCCI has not indicated which venues will be selected.
The final venue decision will be significant for teams, players and supporters as the league continues to expand its reach across India.
The BCCI has previously used a limited number of venues for the WPL, allowing matches to be concentrated in established cricket centres. Details regarding the 2027 venues and match schedule are expected to be announced separately.
RCB enter season as defending champions
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will enter the 2027 season as the defending champions after winning their second WPL title in 2026 under captain Smriti Mandhana. The franchise had also won the inaugural edition in 2024?
Correction: The WPL began in 2023, with Mumbai Indians winning the inaugural title. RCB won their first title in 2024 and their second in 2026. The 2026 triumph made RCB the second franchise, alongside Mumbai Indians, to win the competition twice.
Mandhana’s leadership will again be a key part of RCB’s campaign as the franchise prepares to defend its title. The retention process will provide the Bengaluru-based side with an opportunity to preserve the core of its championship-winning squad before the auction.
Mumbai Indians, meanwhile, are also two-time WPL champions. Their success in the early years of the competition established them as one of the league’s prominent teams.
Auction to shape the 2027 squads
The October 28 auction will be one of the major events in the build-up to WPL 2027. Before the auction, the franchises will assess their existing squads and determine which players they want to retain.
The process will allow teams to address gaps in their combinations and potentially bring new domestic and overseas players into their squads.
For emerging Indian players, the auction also represents an important opportunity to earn a place in the league. The WPL has provided several young cricketers with exposure to high-level T20 cricket alongside established international players.
The BCCI has described the competition as an important platform for the growth of women’s cricket, highlighting its role in bringing together leading players from India and around the world and creating opportunities for emerging talent.
WPL’s growing role in women’s cricket
The WPL was launched in 2023 with five franchises and has since become an important part of the women’s cricket calendar. The competition was initially known as the Women’s Indian Premier League before being branded as the Women’s Premier League.
The BCCI’s decision to announce the 2027 dates well ahead of the season provides teams and players with a clear timeline for preparations.
The tournament will also form part of a busy period for women’s cricket in India. The inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 is scheduled to be held in Mumbai and Vadodara from February 14 to February 28, shortly after the WPL concludes.
This means the WPL will be followed closely by another major women’s cricket event in India, although the two competitions are separate tournaments with different formats and participating teams.
What happens next
The immediate focus for the five WPL franchises will be the September 28 retention deadline. Once the retained squads are confirmed, attention will shift to the October 28 auction in Kochi.
The BCCI is yet to announce the WPL 2027 host cities and the detailed fixture schedule. Those details will determine where and when the league’s matches will be played.
With RCB entering the season as defending champions and Mumbai Indians also having two WPL titles, the fifth edition will continue the league’s established format of bringing together leading domestic and international players.
The 2027 season is scheduled to begin on January 14 and conclude on February 7, with the auction set for October 28 in Kochi. The next major milestone will be the retention deadline on September 28.