WPL 2027 at a Glance
The Women’s Premier League is heading into its biggest season yet. The BCCI has officially confirmed that WPL 2027 — the fifth edition of the league — will run from 14 January to 7 February 2027, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru returning as back-to-back defending champions after their 2026 final win over Delhi Capitals.
Before a ball is bowled, there is the small matter of building the squads. The player auction takes place on 28 October 2026 at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi, with the retention window already closed on 28 September. This guide pulls together everything that is officially confirmed so far: the schedule, the teams, the squads taking shape, and how to watch every ball live.
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Edition | 5th season (WPL 2027) |
| Dates | 14 January – 7 February 2027 |
| Administrator | Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) |
| Teams | 5 franchises |
| Matches | 22 |
| Format | Double round-robin group stage, then playoffs |
| Defending champions | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025 and 2026 winners) |
| Player auction | 28 October 2026, Grand Hyatt Kochi |
| Squad cap | 18 players per team (max 6 overseas); salary cap ₹15 crore |
WPL 2027 Schedule: Dates and Format
The tournament window is locked in: 22 matches between 14 January and 7 February 2027, organised by the BCCI. What is not out yet is the full fixture list — dates for individual matches, start times and match venues are still to be announced. The league has previously used evening starts in India, and exact 2027 timings will be confirmed closer to the tournament.
The format follows the established WPL pattern: each of the five teams plays every other team twice in a double round-robin group stage. The table-topper after the group stage goes straight through to the final, while the second and third-placed teams meet in an eliminator to decide the other finalist.
The move to a January–February window in recent seasons gives the WPL a clear slot in the women’s cricket calendar, away from the men’s IPL block. Once the October auction finalises the squads, expect the BCCI to release the full fixture list with venues — worth keeping an eye on, since previous seasons have split games across multiple Indian cities.
The Five Teams
WPL 2027 will once again feature the same five franchises that have competed since the league’s launch in 2023.
| Team | City | Owner | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Bengaluru | Diageo | Smriti Mandhana |
| Mumbai Indians | Mumbai | Reliance Industries | Harmanpreet Kaur |
| Delhi Capitals | New Delhi | JSW Group / GMR Group | Jemimah Rodrigues |
| Gujarat Giants | Ahmedabad | Adani Sportsline | Beth Mooney |
| UP Warriorz | Lucknow | Capri Global | Meg Lanning |
RCB arrive as the team to beat — champions in 2025 and again in 2026, when they beat Delhi Capitals in the final. Delhi, for all their quality, remain four-time runners-up and will be desperate to finally lift the trophy. Mumbai Indians, the two-time inaugural-era champions, are always in the mix, while Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz are hunting their first final appearance.
Squads: Who Has Been Retained So Far
Final squads will only be confirmed after the 28 October mini-auction in Kochi, where 27 slots are open to be filled. UP Warriorz and Mumbai Indians each have 7 slots to fill, Delhi Capitals and RCB have 5 each, and Gujarat Giants have just 3. UP Warriorz carry the largest remaining purse at ₹3.65 crore, while Mumbai Indians have the smallest at ₹1 crore.
Here is the confirmed retained core of each team after the 28 September retention deadline. Gujarat Giants kept the biggest group with 15 players; Delhi Capitals retained 13; RCB and Mumbai Indians each kept a 12 and 11-player core respectively; UP Warriorz retained 11.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (12 retained): Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Prathyoosha Kumar. Released: Grace Harris, Linsey Smith, Dayalan Hemalatha, Gautami Naik.
Delhi Capitals (13 retained): Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deeya Yadav, Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani, N Sree Charani, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandini Sharma, Laura Wolvaardt, Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry, Lucy Hamilton, Marizanne Kapp. Released: Lizelle Lee, Alana King, Taniyaa Bhatia, Sneh Rana, Pragati Singh, Eddla Srujana.
Mumbai Indians (11 retained): Harmanpreet Kaur, Amanjot Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Nicola Carey, Rahila Firdous, S. Sajana, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Vaishnavi Sharma. Released: Poonam Khemnar, Saika Ishaque, Triveni Vasistha, Kranthi Reddy, Milly Illingworth, G Kamalini.
Gujarat Giants (15 retained): Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Sophie Devine, Anushka Sharma, Bharti Fulmali, Happy Kumari, Jintimani Kalita, Kanika Ahuja, Kashvee Gautam, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Tanuja Kanwer, Yastika Bhatia. Released: Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Aayushi Soni, Titas Sadhu, Shivani Singh.
UP Warriorz (11 retained): Meg Lanning, Deepti Sharma, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Phoebe Litchfield, Pratika Rawal, Shikha Pandey, Shipra Giri, Simran Shaikh, Sophie Ecclestone, Tara Norris. Released: Deandra Dottin, Chloe Tryon, Amy Jones, Kiran Navgire, Asha Sobhana, Shweta Sehrawat.
With 26 players back in the auction pool — including internationals like Dottin, Lizelle Lee, Alana King, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Amy Jones — the Kochi auction should deliver plenty of movement before the final squads are locked.
How to Watch WPL 2027 Live
In India, WPL matches are covered on the Star Sports network on television and streamed live on JioHotstar. That combination also covered the league’s retention and build-up programming — the retention proceedings were streamed on JioStar and telecast on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 Hindi — so it is the combination to set your bookmarks for once the season starts.
In the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports holds the broadcast rights for both the IPL and WPL under a four-year deal running to the end of 2027, so Sky Sports channels and NOW carry the season live there.
For other territories — including Pakistan, the USA, Australia, the Middle East and beyond — broadcast arrangements are typically confirmed region by region closer to the tournament. Check back once the fixture list is released for the full country-wise telecast and streaming guide.
Frequently asked questions
When does WPL 2027 start?
WPL 2027 is officially scheduled to start on 14 January 2027, with the final on 7 February 2027. The full fixture list with individual match dates and venues is yet to be announced.
Which teams are playing in WPL 2027?
Five franchises: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz — the same five that have played since the league began in 2023.
Who are the defending champions?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They won the 2026 title by beating Delhi Capitals in the final, making them back-to-back champions after also lifting the 2025 trophy.
When is the WPL 2027 auction?
The player auction (a mini-auction this time) takes place on 28 October 2026 at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi. The retention deadline was 28 September 2026, and 27 squad slots are open across the five teams.
Are the final squads confirmed?
Not yet. Each team has announced its retained players, but the final 18-player squads will only be settled after the 28 October auction. Gujarat Giants have the fewest slots to fill (3); Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz have the most (7 each).
What is the WPL 2027 format?
A double round-robin group stage followed by playoffs — 22 matches in total. The top team after the group stage qualifies directly for the final, with the second and third teams playing an eliminator.
Where can I watch WPL 2027 live streaming?
In India, matches stream on JioHotstar and are televised on Star Sports. In the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports holds the rights to the end of 2027. Rights holders for other regions are usually confirmed closer to the tournament.
Conclusion
WPL 2027 is shaping up as the most mature edition of the league yet: a fixed January–February window, back-to-back champions in RCB with a target on their backs, and a genuinely open auction on 28 October that could reshape at least two or three squads. The retained cores tell us which teams believe in continuity — Gujarat’s 15-player group, Delhi’s settled 13 — while UP Warriorz’s overhaul and ₹3.65 crore purse make them the auction’s wildcard. Once the Kochi bidding is done and the fixture list lands, the fifth season of the Women’s Premier League has everything it needs for a proper title race.
