WBBL 2026: how to watch in India, schedule, format and key details

The Women's Big Bash League 2026 began on October 29 with Melbourne Renegades facing Sydney Thunder at Melbourne's Junction Oval. Eight teams are competing in the tournament.

Hobart Hurricanes are the defending WBBL champions after they defeated the Perth Scorchers by eight wickets to win their historic first-ever Women's Big Bash League title. Four sides — the Sydney Sixers, Adelaide Strikers, Brisbane Heat and Sydney Thunder — are chasing a third WBBL crown to become the competition's most successful team. The tournament features eight franchises vying across the regular season.

Each team plays 10 matches in a double round-robin format. Under that schedule every side meets three opponents twice and four opponents once. Later in the competition the top four sides qualify for the knockouts.

The knockout pathway is structured so the 3rd and 4th-placed sides meet in the initial knockout game. The winner of that match advances to the challenger, where they play the second-placed side. The victor in the challenger secures a place in the final against the league toppers.

Matches are staged on most days, with the exception of Saturdays and a few selected Thursdays and Sundays when two games are often scheduled. On days with two fixtures the first match begins at 8:10 AM (IST) and the second starts at 1:40 PM (IST). The condensed daily scheduling delivers multiple fixtures on selected days.

Ellyse Perry, Madeline Penna, Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, and Chloe Ainsworth are among the players listed as ones to watch in this edition. Tournament narratives will be shaped by performances from those named players alongside contributions across the eight squads.

Fans in India can watch WBBL 2026 on the Star Sports Network, with live streaming available on the FanCode app and website. Earlier, JioStar held the live streaming rights, but it has now shifted to FanCode, and you will need to purchase a subscription to watch matches on this website. For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.

The WBBL 2026 playoffs will begin on December 1, with the Women’s Big Bash League 2026 final scheduled for December 5.