WPL 2027 Schedule Out: RCB Face Mumbai Indians in Vadodara Opener on January 14

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will open their title defence against Mumbai Indians (MI) when the fifth edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) gets under way in Vadodara on Thursday, January 14, 2027. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the full schedule for WPL 2027 on Wednesday, confirming that Vadodara and Mumbai will host all 22 matches of the tournament.

The season will run for a little over three weeks, ending with the final at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, February 7. Every match, including the playoffs, will begin at 7:30 PM IST.

A Blockbuster Opening Night

The tournament could hardly have asked for a bigger opening fixture. RCB and MI are the two most successful teams in the history of the WPL, with two titles each since the league began in 2023.

Mumbai Indians won the inaugural edition in 2023 and claimed a second title in 2025. RCB lifted the trophy for the first time in 2024 and then added a second crown in 2026, when they beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets in the final at Vadodara's Kotambi Stadium.

That means the opening game in Vadodara will feature the last two champions and the only two franchises to have won the competition. For RCB, it will be an immediate test of their title defence against a team that knows exactly how to win big matches.

Vadodara Hosts the First Half

The tournament has been split evenly between its two host cities. Vadodara will stage the first 11 matches, starting with the RCB-MI clash on January 14 and running until January 24.

Vadodara is no stranger to the WPL. The city hosted matches in previous seasons, including the 2026 final, and the venue has drawn strong crowds. Its return as the opening host gives fans in Gujarat another chance to watch the world's leading women cricketers in action.

Mumbai Takes Over From January 26

After a short break, the action will move to Mumbai, where Brabourne Stadium will host the remaining 11 matches. The Mumbai phase begins on January 26, and the league stage concludes on February 3.

Brabourne Stadium, one of India's most historic cricket grounds, will also stage both playoff matches. The venue has hosted WPL matches before and offers a compact setting that typically produces an energetic atmosphere.

Playoff Format Unchanged

The format for the knockout stage remains the same as in previous editions. The team that finishes at the top of the league table will qualify directly for the final, giving the league leaders a significant advantage.

The teams finishing second and third will meet in the Eliminator on Friday, February 5, with the winner earning a place in the final. The title clash will then take place on Sunday, February 7, at Brabourne Stadium.

With only five teams in the competition and one direct route to the final, every league match carries weight. Finishing in the top three is essential, but topping the table can make the path to the trophy much easier.

WPL 2027 Schedule at a Glance

• Tournament dates: January 14 to February 7, 2027
• Opening match: RCB vs Mumbai Indians, Vadodara, January 14
• Vadodara phase: 11 matches, January 14 to January 24
• Mumbai phase: 11 matches at Brabourne Stadium, from January 26
• League stage ends: February 3
• Eliminator: Friday, February 5, Brabourne Stadium
• Final: Sunday, February 7, Brabourne Stadium
• Total matches: 22
• Match start time: 7:30 PM IST

Delhi Capitals Still Chasing a First Title

While RCB and MI have shared the four titles so far, Delhi Capitals remain the competition's nearly team. Delhi have reached the final in each of the first four editions but have lost every one of them, including last season's defeat to RCB.

Delhi have strengthened their squad ahead of the new season, adding power-hitter Kiran Navgire for ₹75 lakh at the recent auction. With batters such as Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt already in their ranks, they will once again be among the contenders.

Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz, meanwhile, are still searching for their first WPL title and will hope this is the season they can break through.

Squads Set After Kochi Auction

The schedule announcement comes a week after the WPL 2027 mini-auction in Kochi on October 28, where the five franchises finalised their squads. UP Warriorz were the busiest team at the auction and made the biggest purchase of the day, signing Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux for ₹1.10 crore after a bidding battle with RCB.

The Warriorz also welcomed back Grace Harris and added Sneh Rana, Sushma Verma and Asha Sobhana as they completed eight signings. Gujarat Giants signed young wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini, while RCB added experienced all-rounders Jess Jonassen and Chloe Tryon to their title-winning group.

Before the auction, Mumbai Indians also completed the first trade in WPL history, bringing in USA fast bowler Tara Norris.

Players to Watch

The new season will feature some of the biggest names in women's cricket. Molineux's return to the league after missing the 2026 edition is one of the most anticipated storylines, and she will join a UP Warriorz group led by Meg Lanning that also includes Phoebe Litchfield, Deepti Sharma and Sophie Ecclestone.

Navgire's power-hitting could give Delhi an extra attacking dimension in a batting line-up that already contains plenty of firepower, while 18-year-old Kamalini will look to make the most of a fresh start with Gujarat Giants. RCB, meanwhile, will rely on the core of the squad that won last season's title, now strengthened by the experience of Jonassen and Tryon.

Mumbai Indians, who made several low-cost Indian signings at the auction, will once again lean on their experienced core as they look to win a third title.

A Tight Window Before the Season

The WPL schedule fits into a busy period for women's cricket. India begin the defence of their Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup title against West Indies on January 22, during the Vadodara phase of the WPL. Several overseas stars, including Molineux, are also currently involved in the Women's Big Bash League in Australia.

For franchises, that means planning around player availability and fitness will be important, particularly for players arriving from other competitions shortly before the season starts.

Five Teams, One Trophy

All five franchises will play each other twice in the league stage, giving each team eight league matches. That format has produced close contests in previous seasons, with the race for the playoff places often going down to the final week.

RCB will start as defending champions and will be keen to become the first team to win back-to-back WPL titles. Mumbai Indians will want to reclaim the trophy and move ahead of RCB as the most successful franchise. Delhi Capitals will hope to finally go one step further, while Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz will aim to turn their new-look squads into a winning combination.

With the dates now confirmed and squads finalised, attention will turn to team preparations, combinations and leadership plans. The countdown to January 14 has begun, and the opening clash between RCB and MI in Vadodara promises to be a fitting start to the fifth season of the WPL.