WPL 2026: MI vs RCB to Kick Off Season 4! All You Need to Know About the 28-Day Cricket Carnival.
Everything about WPL Season 4: 22 matches in 28 days, opening match between MI and RCB in Mumbai; 2 teams have changed captains.
Ankush Pandey
The fourth season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) is set to begin on January 9th. The opening match will be played between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The match will be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, starting at 7:30 PM.
This tournament, featuring 5 teams, will be played over 28 days and will consist of 22 matches. The eliminator will be held in Vadodara on February 3rd, and the final on February 5th. Matches will be played at two venues. Before the new season, two of the five teams have changed their captains.
Learn everything about WPL Season 4...
1. What format will the tournament be played in?
The WPL will be played in a league format, as always. The five teams will play two matches against each other. This means each team will play 8 matches in the tournament. After the league stage, the team at the top of the points table will directly qualify for the final. The teams ranked 2nd and 3rd will play an eliminator match, and the winner will also secure a place in the final. The teams ranked 4th and 5th will be eliminated.
RCB Ends 16-Year Trophy Drought with Dominant Victory in WPL 2024 Final
2. How many double-headers will there be?
For the first three seasons of the WPL, there were no double-headers (two matches in a single day). However, this time the schedule includes two double-headers. Both will be played on Saturdays at the DY Patil Stadium. The first double-header will be played on January 10th and the second on January 17th.
3. How many matches will be played at each venue?
This time, the tournament will be played at only two venues instead of four. The first 11 matches will be held at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, and the final 11 matches will be played at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. Both playoff matches will also be held in Vadodara.
4. How many foreign players can be in the playing XI?
A team's playing XI can have a maximum of 4 foreign players. The remaining 7 players must be Indian. However, if a team includes a player from an associate nation in their playing XI, they have the option of fielding 5 foreign players.
5. How many teams and who are the captains?
Five teams are participating in the fourth season as well: Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz, and Gujarat Giants. Except for Mumbai, Gujarat, and Bangalore, the other teams have changed their captains. Jemimah Rodrigues will captain Delhi, while Meg Lanning will captain UP Warriorz, having previously led Delhi to the finals in all three seasons.
6. Will the Impact Player rule be used in the WPL?
No, the WPL does not have the Impact Player rule. Therefore, it will not be used in the tournament. Teams could include up to 5 overseas players in their playing XI as associate players. However, the only associate player who was bought in this year's auction, Tara Norris from the USA, will not be able to play in the tournament. She will be playing for the USA in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers, and is therefore unavailable for the WPL.
WPL 2024 final Live Streaming RCB vs DC: When and where to watch
7. Which team has won the most titles?
Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the WPL. The team has reached the playoffs in all three seasons and won the title twice. They only failed to reach the final in 2024, when MI lost to RCB in the Eliminator. Bengaluru went on to win the title that season. The Gujarat and UP teams have not yet reached a final.
8. Which teams are the title contenders?
Defending champions Mumbai Indians, 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bangalore, and three-time runners-up Delhi Capitals are the strongest contenders for the title. All three teams built strong squads in the mega auction. Meanwhile, the UP and Gujarat teams, despite having significant funds in the auction, failed to assemble equally strong teams.
9. What will be the prize money?
As in the previous three seasons, the winning team will receive a prize of ₹6 crore. The runner-up team will receive ₹3 crore. The best batter, best bowler, Player of the Tournament, player with the most sixes, and the player with the best strike rate will each receive ₹5 lakh. The Player of the Final will receive ₹2.50 lakh. The Player of the Match in each of the other matches will receive ₹1 lakh.
10. When and where to watch WPL matches?
The WPL matches will be telecast live on the Star Network. Online streaming will be available on the JioCinema app. In WPL 2026, all evening matches will start at 7:30 PM. The toss will take place at 7:00 PM. On days with double-headers, the first match will start at 3:30 PM. You can follow the Dainik Bhaskar app for minute-by-minute updates of the tournament.
