The TATA Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, or Women IPL 2026 season was one of the most exciting seasons in the history of the premier women’s T20 cricket tournament in India. The Women IPL 2026 was played from January 9 through February 5, 2026. During this period, five of the top teams in India competed in two different host cities. This article will provide all the necessary information regarding Women IPL 2026 – the participating teams, the dates for each game, the locations of each game, some of the top performers during the season, and who won the title.
What is Women IPL 2026?
The Women’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is the fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League and is being organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Similar to the Men’s IPL, the Women’s IPL 2026 will use a franchise system for a T20 competition involving some of the top domestic and international female cricket players. From the first year of the Women’s IPL 2026 until now, the Women’s IPL 2026 has continued to fulfill its goal of providing a commercial and high-profile platform for women’s cricket that is comparable to the Men’s IPL.
The Women’s IPL 2026 season was made up of five franchises; Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz. Each franchise included some of the best Indian International players, local players, and foreign players, which made the Women’s IPL 2026 one of the most star-studded T20 league’s in world cricket.
Women IPL 2026: Teams and Captains
The lead-up to the Women IPL 2026 has been marked by a great deal of discussion regarding who will be leading the franchises. Below you will find a complete list of teams.
| Team Name | Captain | Notable Players |
| Mumbai Indians Women | Harmanpreet Kaur | Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Yastika Bhatia |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women | Smriti Mandhana | Ellyse Perry, Sophie Molineux, Shreyanka Patil |
| Delhi Capitals Women | Meg Lanning | Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Alice Capsey |
| Gujarat Giants | Ashleigh Gardner | Sophie Devine, Beth Mooney, Kashvee Gautam |
| UP Warriorz | Deepti Sharma | Chamari Athapaththu, Grace Harris, Simran Shaikh |
The combination of having experienced captains and top-tier international players meant that the 2026 Women’s IPL League Stage was extremely volatile, with every team able to defeat another at any time.
Women IPL 2026: Venues
The first time the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) will be held at more than one location is during the 2026 WIPL season.
- Navi Mumbai (DY Patil Stadium) – hosted the first 11 games from January 9th through January 17th
- Vadodara (Baroda Cricket Association Stadium) – Hosted the last 11 games, including the Eliminator and Championship Final
The two-city format provided the Women’s IPL 2026 tournament with an exciting change of pace for travel, relative to other seasons that have taken place in either one city or a small number of cities.
Women IPL 2026: Schedule Highlights
The inaugural campaign of the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) was launched with an epic showdown between the two most successful franchises in WPL history.
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Jan 9 | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Navi Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Jan 10 | UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants | Navi Mumbai | 3:30 PM |
| Jan 10 | Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals | Navi Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Jan 11 | Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Giants | Navi Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Jan 12 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz | Navi Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Jan 13 | Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants | Navi Mumbai | 7:30 PM |
| Jan 17 | UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians | Navi Mumbai | 3:30 PM |
| Jan 19 | Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Vadodara | 7:30 PM |
| Jan 24 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals | Vadodara | 7:30 PM |
| Feb 1 | Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz | Vadodara | 7:30 PM |
| Feb 5 | Final | Vadodara | 7:30 PM |
In the Women’s IPL 2026 league phase, every side competed against each other side on two occasions (double-round robin) prior to the top three sides advancing to the playoff.
Women IPL 2026: Points Table and Playoff Race
Women IPL 2026 had an extremely close league stage where several teams were battling each other for a top three position until the last match day (February 1) of the league stage. According to the format being followed during Women IPL 2026, the first place finisher would qualify directly into the final; however, the second and third place finishes would face off in an Eliminator match to determine who qualifies for the other slot in the final.
Women IPL 2026: Final Result
The conclusion of the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) 2026 campaign took place on February 5 as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the final match of the tournament. The RCB team won their second WIPL championship when they beat the DC team by six wickets. This victory allowed the RCB team to tie for the most successful franchise in the WIPL 2026 campaign with the Mumbai Indians (MI) team. Prior to the start of the 2026 WIPL season, the MI team had won two consecutive championships, making them the reigning champions at that time.
Women IPL 2026: Top Performers
Individual brilliance defined the Women IPL 2026 season:
- Most Runs: Smriti Mandhana (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) – 377 runs, continuing her excellent performance throughout the Women IPL 2026 season
- Sophie Devine (Gujarat Giants) and Nandani Sharma (Delhi Capitals) – 17 wickets each.
- Sophie Devine of the Gujarat Giants is named Player of the Series due to her strong performance in all aspects of Women’s IPL 2026.
The outstanding performances showed how many good players there were at Women IPL 2026, including both experienced international players and young Indian players who have made their name.
Why Women IPL 2026 Matters
Women IPL 2026 is an important milestone because it is a reflection of the continuing growth of women’s cricket in India. Broadcast viewership, stadium attendance, and sponsorship interest in Women IPL 2026 continue to rise year-on-year since the inception of the league in 2023, reflecting the BCCI’s focus on developing a viable commercial model for women’s sports. There is a general consensus among many that Women IPL 2026 has reduced the differences in terms of production quality, salary paid to players, and fan engagement levels between men’s and women’s T20 cricket in India.
The successful run of Women IPL 2026 has initiated discussion on whether the league will expand, with some reports indicating that a sixth franchise may join the league in a later season. This would provide more opportunity for female domestic players to enter the highest levels of professional women’s cricket.
Conclusion
Women IPL 2026 was the second time that Royal Challengers Bangalore won the title. This year’s tournament featured some great matches, intense playoff action, and a fitting end to the season. The games were played at two different venues – DY Patil Stadium (Navi Mumbai) and Baroda Cricket Association Stadium (Vadodara). Women IPL 2026 proved that women’s T20 cricket has developed both in terms of quality and quantity globally. With each passing year, Women IPL grows larger and more popular, and Women IPL 2026 represents yet another step forward for women’s cricket in India.
FAQs on Women IPL 2026
1. When was Women IPL 2026 held?
The Women IPL 2026 season ran from January 9 to February 5, 2026.
2. How many teams played in Women IPL 2026?
Five teams participated in Women IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz.
3. Who won Women IPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru has won Women’s IPL 2026. They beat Delhi Capitals in the final by six wickets to earn their second title.
4. Where was Women IPL 2026 played?
The Women’s IPL matches in 2026 were played at both the DY Patil Stadium located in Navi Mumbai and the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara.
5. Who scored the most runs in Women IPL 2026?
Smriti Mandhana from Royal Challengers Bengaluru has scored more runs than anyone else in the Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) during its second season in 2026. She finished with 377 runs.
6. Who was the Player of the Series in Women IPL 2026?
Sophie Devine of Gujarat Giants received the award for being the “player of the series” due to her performance in every match of Women IPL 2026.
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