Why WPL 2026 has just two venues and no IPL-style home-and-away format

The 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) begins today, January 9, at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. And there is a big matchup right outside the gate: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Mumbai Indians (MI). This is the league’s fourth season and it is brimming with more energy than ever before. Women’s cricket has exploded in popularity since last year’s World Cup and with new faces emerging in the wake of the big auction, everything feels brand new.

But some things haven’t changed. WPL sticks to the same format as before; Matches are held in just two cities, not the home-away style you see in the men’s IPL. The “caravan” setup means teams travel together between these venues rather than playing in their home cities.

So why didn’t WPL switch to home and away format like IPL? Since the first season in 2023, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has retained the caravan format despite many calling for a change. To be honest, it happens over time. The WPL has a narrow window to fit all its games. With only five teams and almost no breaks between matches, playing home matches across the country is currently unlikely. The caravan format allows teams to play on back-to-back days, which is exactly what’s happening this season.

However, things may change soon. Expansion is on the horizon and once teams join the league once again, the home-away format could finally happen. Delhi Capitals owner Parth Jindal recently suggested that new teams may be added in the next few years.

“We’d love to see WPL home and away. The caravan format works but it’s not perfect,” Jindal said after the 2026 mega auction. “The season is short so the league has to fit into a small window, but I think it’s only a matter of time before new teams come in and the format changes. That would be better for the fans, the players and the future of the league.”

For now, the 2026 WPL is splitting its matches between two venues: the first 11 matches will be played in Navi Mumbai and then everything will shift to Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium for the last 10 matches, including the qualifiers and the final.

This is not new. In 2023 and 2024, the league also stuck to two venues: Navi Mumbai and Mumbai (CCI) in the first season, followed by Delhi and Bengaluru in the following season. Last year, they spread out a little more using Vadodara, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Mumbai (CCI) for the 2025 season.

Even in the caravan format, each team plays each other twice in the league phase. The team at the top of the standings advances directly to the finals, and the second- and third-placed teams face off in a knockout manner for the final spot in the championship match.

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