The Women’s Premier League 2026 auction was the first mega-auction for the burgeoning tournament since the very first edition in 2023. With the five teams in the league well-established and having decided their franchise cornerstones, the auction began about building from scratch as teams try to set themselves up for the next three years of the tournament.
Delhi Capitals have reached the final in all three of the inaugural seasons under Meg Lanning, but failed to get over the line on all three occasions. However, of the three seasons, and the fourth to come, Delhi has only had the chance to host the tournament in 2024, when they also hosted the final.
With the WPL still carrying forward with the caravan format rather than a true home-and-away system, calls have been made to make the change. However, there is a feeling that this big step would also need a bigger league – and Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal predicted that an expansion on the tournament could be around the corner, and said the BCCI would be ‘working on it’.
"I think we would love to see the WPL home and away as well, and I think this caravan format is okay, but it is not ideal. I hope that and I am sure that the BCCI is working on it,” explained Jindal while speaking to the press during Thursday’s auction.
Jindal asks for extended window for WPL
{{/usCountry}}"I think we would love to see the WPL home and away as well, and I think this caravan format is okay, but it is not ideal. I hope that and I am sure that the BCCI is working on it,” explained Jindal while speaking to the press during Thursday’s auction.
Jindal asks for extended window for WPL
{{/usCountry}}“I think the amount of time that they get is very short and that is why they have to fit the WPL within this window, but I hope we get a bigger and longer window for the WPL going forward,” said Jindal, illustrating the teething problems the league needs to contend with in its nascent years.
“I think it is imminent that one or two new teams will come in at some point, and that is why I think the cycle is such a short cycle with the two WPLs happening over 14 months,” he expressed. The first three editions of the tournament were held in February-March, but the forthcoming season will take place in January-February to account for the subsequent men’s T20 World Cup to be held in the country.
‘Pretty sure BCCI is planning on adding a team,’ reveals Jindal
“So I am pretty sure that the BCCI is planning on adding a team, and maybe with that addition we move to a home and away format. That would be ideal for the fans, for the game, and for the growth of the WPL," said Jindal regarding chances of a league expansion, pointing out that the way for fans to connect would be through local support for the women’s game in each of the main cities and states.
Only 5 teams currently compete in the tournament, with three IPL franchises who bought teams in the WPL – Delhi, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru – and two non-affiliated teams from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat making for a strong mix of legacy and the tournament’s independent identity.
In 2026, the tournament will be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, which became the home of women’s cricket stardom as India lifted the Women’s World Cup Trophy there. The closing stages will be hosted in Baroda, following the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai in 2023 and 2025 and the Arun Jaitley Stadium in 2024 as the venue of choice for the WPL finals.