The Women’s Premier League 2027 will begin with a blockbuster clash between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians on January 14. The opening match brings together the two most successful teams in WPL history, with both sides having won the title twice.
The fifth edition of the WPL will run from January 14 to February 7, 2027, with five teams fighting for the trophy.
WPL 2027: Key Details
| Edition | Fifth |
| Dates | January 14 to February 7, 2027 |
| Opening match | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians, January 14 |
| Final | February 7, 2027 |
| Teams | 5 |
| Defending champions | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Auction | Held on October 28, 2026, in Kochi |
RCB vs MI: A Clash of Two-Time Champions
The WPL could not have asked for a bigger opening game. Mumbai Indians won the first-ever WPL title in 2023 and lifted the trophy again in 2025. Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden title in 2024 and then won again in 2026, making them the defending champions heading into the new season.
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Mumbai Indians |
| 2024 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2025 | Mumbai Indians |
| 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
With each side holding two titles, the January 14 match is already being seen as a battle between the two powerhouses of women’s franchise cricket in India.
RCB Defend Their Title After a Thrilling 2026 Final
RCB enter the season on a high after their win in the 2026 final in Vadodara. Chasing 204 against Delhi Capitals, they won by six wickets with two balls to spare. Captain Smriti Mandhana smashed 87 off 41 balls, while Georgia Voll added 79 off 54. Mandhana also finished as the top run-scorer of the 2026 season with 377 runs.
RCB have kept a strong core for 2027, including Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell and Nadine de Klerk. At the auction in Kochi, they added Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen for Rs 40 lakh, South Africa’s Chloe Tryon for Rs 30 lakh, Tejal Hasabnis for Rs 30 lakh and Vrinda Dinesh for Rs 10 lakh.
RCB Squad for WPL 2027
Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Georgia Voll, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Lauren Bell, Nadine de Klerk, Jess Jonassen, Chloe Tryon, Tejal Hasabnis, Vrinda Dinesh, Prema Rawat, Sayali Satghare, Prathyoosha Kumar.
Mumbai Indians Eye a Record Third Title
Mumbai Indians will be keen to start their campaign with a statement win against the champions. A third title would make them the first team to win the WPL three times. Led in past seasons by India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, MI have been one of the most consistent sides in the league since its first edition.
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What Else to Know About WPL 2027
The season will be played over just over three weeks, from mid-January to early February. The ICC Women’s Champions Trophy, which has been moved from Sri Lanka to India, will be held after the WPL, giving many players valuable match practice before the global event.
The full fixture list, venues and match timings for the rest of the tournament are expected to be shared by the BCCI and the WPL. This article will be updated once all the details are confirmed.