WPL 2026 Heads to Navi Mumbai and Vadodara in Caravan Format
In a homecoming of champions, India's top women cricketers are set to return to the hallowed turf of the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai for the fourth season of the Women's Premier League (WPL). This is the very venue where the Indian women's team scripted history, clinching their maiden ODI World Cup title on November 3 by defeating South Africa in a thrilling final.
Official Decision and Tournament Logistics
Sources have confirmed to TOI that the WPL Governing Council is expected to formally approve the dual-venue plan at its meeting on November 26 in Delhi. This meeting, strategically scheduled a day before the WPL mega auction on November 27, will seal the fate of the tournament's locations. Franchises have already been informally advised to proceed with hotel bookings in both Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, home of the Kotambi Stadium.
The tournament is slated to run from January 7 to February 3, 2026. This advanced scheduling is a strategic move by the BCCI to avoid a clash with the men's T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to commence in the first week of February 2026 and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The Caravan Model and Match Schedule
Mirroring the successful format of previous seasons, WPL-4 will adopt the caravan model. The action is expected to kick off in Navi Mumbai, with a significant portion of the league matches being held at the DY Patil Stadium. The tournament will then move to its second leg in Vadodara.
The reason for this sequence is a key international fixture. Vadodara cannot host the initial matches because the Kotambi Stadium is scheduled to host an India versus New Zealand ODI on January 11. The Indian men's team will be stationed in the city from January 6 to 12, making the DY Patil Stadium the logical choice for the opening phase. This setup strongly suggests that the WPL-4 final could be a grand spectacle held in Vadodara.
A Lucky 'Home' for the Women in Blue
The choice of DY Patil Stadium carries deep emotional significance for the team. Following the historic World Cup victory, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur openly declared the stadium a lucky venue and a "home" for the Women in Blue. She revealed that the team was ecstatic when they learned in August that the World Cup final had been shifted from Bengaluru to Navi Mumbai.
"As soon as we got to know that our venue had been changed to DY Patil Stadium, we all got so happy because we've always played good cricket there," Harmanpreet said. "The biggest thing is the crowd, it's always so supportive. We were manifesting. We said, 'The final is going to be there, we won't leave it now.' As soon as we reached Mumbai, we said, 'We've come home now.'" This triumphant return to their 'home' ground promises to add an extra layer of excitement for both players and fans in the upcoming WPL season.
