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The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is all set for an expected change in 2027, with Varanasi emerging as a possible new host city. The BCCI is working on the plans for the next season and is also looking at bringing WPL matches to a new part of the country.
The 2026 Women’s Premier League was played across just two cities under a two-venue caravan model. The 22-match tournament was split between Navi Mumbai and Vadodara because of the Ranji Trophy matches.
The first half was played at Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai, while the rest of the matches were held at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. Earlier, Shree Charani, Deepti Sharma make massive gains in latest ICC T20I rankings.
Women’s Premier League 2027 Auction date revealed
Now, Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi has come into the picture before the Women’s Premier League 2027. It is being said that the WPL 2027 auction is tentatively planned for October 28 in Kochi. The tournament itself is expected to take place in the January-February window.
However, the BCCI will have to manage a tight schedule because India will also host the first-ever ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in mid-February as well. The WPL Governing Council reportedly discussed the plans during a virtual meeting on Tuesday (September 15).
WPL 2027 set for a big change as Varanasi enters the picture
Presently, Brabourne Stadium and Kotambi Stadium are the two main venues being considered for the tournament after successfully hosting the last season.
However, Varanasi has now entered the picture. The BCCI is expected to inspect the venue and check whether it can be made ready in time to host WPL 2027 matches. But the final decision will be taken only after the inspection, so Mumbai and Vadodara are confirmed options as of now.
A source close to the development, as quoted by Sportstar, said, "The BCCI team will inspect whether the venue in Varanasi can be ready by then, and, accordingly, a call will be taken on hosting matches there. For now, it’s Mumbai and Vadodara.”
ICC Women's Champions Trophy creates schedule challenge for BCCI
There is also a major scheduling challenge for the BCCI. Brabourne Stadium and Kotambi Stadium are both expected to host matches during the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy as well.
There will be a really small gap between the WPL 2027 and the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027. Amid this, IPL 2027 auction: BCCI set to bring event back to India after three overseas editions.
The tournament has usually been played in only two cities in previous seasons. The 2025 edition was an exception, with matches taking place across four cities. If Varanasi is added to the 2027 schedule, it would help the league reach a completely new market.
It could also be an important development for UP Warriorz. The franchise would get Varanasi as its home venue if the plan is approved. UP Warriorz had already played their home matches in Lucknow in 2025, meaning a Varanasi home venue would give the team a home base for only the second time in the Women’s Premier League history so far.
