WPL 2027: BCCI Announces Auction Date, Retention Date and Season Schedule

WPL 2027 auction dates announced (PTI Photo) As the countdown to the fifth edition of the Women’s Premier League begins, the BCCI has confirmed the player auction date and schedule for WPL 2027. The five franchises will have less than a month to finalize their retention plans before heading to Kochi for the auction on October 28 as teams begin reshaping their squads for the upcoming season.The 2027 edition of the TATA Women’s Premier League will be played from 14 January to 7 February, with the deadline for retaining the players set for 28 September 2026.The BCCI formally communicated the dates to the five franchises on Wednesday before announcing them in a media release. The auction will be held at the Grand Hyatt Kochi where teams will look to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.

WPL 2027: Retention Date, Auction Date and Season Schedule

The September 28 deadline will be the first major milestone for franchises as they decide which players to keep and release from their existing squads. The auction will give five teams the opportunity to fill in the gaps and build their combinations for the new season. Each franchise can have a maximum of 18 players in its squad, including up to six overseas players. The salary cap for the current cycle is Rs 15 crore.

Mumbai and Vadodara are likely to host WPL 2027 matches

While BCCI has not officially announced the venues for WPL 2027, Mumbai and Vadodara are the likely hosts, according to Cricbuzz sources. The two cities hosted the previous edition, with matches played at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai and the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. The final of WPL 2026 was held in Vadodara on February 5 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru emerged as the winners.Varanasi has also been talked about as a potential venue with a new stadium under construction in the city. However, hosting WPL matches there remains a remote possibility at this stage. League sources indicated that any decision on Varanasi would depend on the stadium being ready and tested with home matches before it could host a major tournament.