The Women’s Premier League 2027 may see a change in venue for its final stage, with the BCCI planning to move the Eliminator and final from the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The current schedule has Brabourne listed for the final, but Wankhede is likely to host both knockout matches. The proposed change concerns the second phase of the tournament, after the league stage. The BCCI has not explained the possible change at this stage.
The fifth edition of the WPL is scheduled to begin on January 14, 2027, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing former title winners Mumbai Indians in the opening match at Vadodara. The 22-match tournament will be played across two venues. Vadodara will host the first 11 fixtures from January 14 to 24, before the action shifts to Mumbai from January 26 for the remaining league games. The league stage is scheduled to finish on February 3. The tournament will then move into its knockout phase, with the second and third-placed teams meeting in the Eliminator.
The Eliminator is scheduled for February 5, while the team finishing at the top of the table will qualify directly for the final on February 7. Under the schedule announced earlier, the title match was to be played at the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium. The BCCI is now planning to move both knockout matches to Wankhede. The reason for the proposed switch has not been disclosed. If the plan goes ahead, Wankhede will host the two matches that decide the champion instead of Brabourne. The league fixtures and dates remain as announced earlier.
Brabourne Stadium, built in 1937 and owned by the Cricket Club of India, hosted the Mumbai leg of the 2025 WPL season. It also staged that edition’s Eliminator and final. Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals by eight runs in the final, while both knockout matches were won by the side batting first. Wankhede Stadium, built in 1974, is Mumbai Indians’ home ground in the WPL. Last season’s final was played in Vadodara, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Delhi Capitals by six wickets to win their second WPL title. Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians have two titles each.
WPL 2027 Knockouts May Shift to Wankhede
The upcoming season will begin with another meeting between the two former champions. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter the fifth edition as defending champions and face Mumbai Indians on January 14 at Vadodara. After the first 11 matches are played there, the tournament will move to Mumbai from January 26 for the remaining league games. The standings will then decide the knockout teams, with the top side advancing directly to the final and the second and third-placed teams playing the Eliminator. The possible venue shift would therefore affect the last two matches of the competition, while the earlier league schedule remains unchanged.
Mumbai and Vadodara will also host the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy from February 14 to 28, 2027. The six-team event will be played in the T20I format, with all matches scheduled at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium. The tournament will begin after the WPL final, which is scheduled for February 7. If the BCCI’s proposed change is confirmed, Wankhede will host the Eliminator and final of the fifth WPL season.
For now, Brabourne remains the venue listed in the announced schedule, while the reason behind the possible move has not been revealed. The venue decision would change where the closing matches are played, but the announced dates would remain the same.
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