WPL 2027 to begin on January 14 with RCB-MI clash; Vadodara, Mumbai to host matches
New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will open the fifth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) against two-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) in Vadodara on January 14.
The tournament will run from January 14 to February 7, with Vadodara’s BCA Stadium and Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium, home of the Cricket Club of India (CCI), sharing the 22 matches equally.
Both venues are familiar WPL hosting territories. The Brabourne Stadium hosted matches in the 2023 and 2025 seasons, including the finals of both editions won by MI. The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) Stadium in Vadodara hosted WPL games in 2025 and 2026, and staged last season’s final won by RCB.
The two grounds will also serve as venues for the inaugural ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, to be played from February 14 to 28, a week after the WPL final is held. Vadodara will stage the first 11 games, from January 14 to 24, before the competition moves to Mumbai.
After a rest day on January 25, the Brabourne Stadium will host the remaining nine league matches from January 26 to February 3, along with both playoff fixtures. Each of the five teams will play the others twice in the league stage. The team that finishes on top of the table will go straight into the final.
The second- and third-placed sides will meet in the Eliminator on February 5 for the other spot in the summit clash on February 7. A rest day sits before each of the two playoff matches. All matches, including the playoffs, will start at 7:30 pm IST, with no afternoon games on the calendar.
The opening weekend has a full slate. Gujarat Giants take on UP Warriorz on January 15, while RCB, the two-time winners, face four-time runners-up Delhi Capitals a day later, and MI meet UP Warriorz on January 17. The RCB-MI rematch will happen on January 26, when the two sides open the Mumbai leg in a repeat of the season opener.
Gujarat Giants are listed as the home side in four of their Vadodara matches, while Mumbai Indians are the designated hosts for four league fixtures at the Brabourne Stadium. The league stage ends on February 3 with Delhi Capitals taking on UP Warriorz.
WPL 2027 full schedule:
Vadodara (BCA Stadium)
January 14: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians
January 15: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz
January 16: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
January 17: UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians
January 18: Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals
January 19: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz
January 20: Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians
January 21: UP Warriorz vs Delhi Capitals
January 22: Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
January 23: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians
January 24: UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants
January 25: Rest day
Mumbai (Brabourne Stadium, CCI)
January 26: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
January 27: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Giants
January 28: Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz
January 29: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals
January 30: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants
January 31: UP Warriorz vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
February 1: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals
February 2: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Giants
February 3: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz
February 4: Rest day
February 5: Eliminator
February 6: Rest day
February 7: Final
–IANS
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