WPL 2027 auction likely in Kochi on Oct 28 as BCCI finalises venue options

The Women’s Premier League 2027 auction is likely to be held in Kochi on October 28, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India is working on venue plans for the season, India Today reported. The venues for the season have not been finalised.

The WPL Governing Council discussed venue options during a virtual meeting, with the BCCI considering a mix of established grounds and newer facilities for the fifth edition. The 2026 season was played across Mumbai and Vadodara, with the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium hosting the final. Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium has been shortlisted as one of the venues for WPL 2027, according to a source cited by the Times of India.

The BCCI is exploring whether the second host city will be Vadodara or Varanasi. Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium hosted the 2026 final, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Delhi Capitals by six wickets to win the title.

A new stadium in Varanasi has emerged as an option provided it is ready by January 2027. The BCCI is expected to conduct a recce of the venue before making a final decision. Because it is a new facility, the board is considering staging domestic or practice matches there to assess its readiness for WPL fixtures.

Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium was also discussed as a possible venue; using the ground would require several permissions from local authorities, according to the report. The stadium hosted WPL matches in 2024, when the tournament was staged across Bengaluru and New Delhi.

The league has featured five teams since its launch in 2023 and moved to a January-February window from 2026; Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians have each won the WPL twice, Delhi Capitals have reached the final in all four seasons but are yet to win, and UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants are the other two teams in the competition. The BCCI will need to finalise the venue plan before releasing the complete schedule.