More Teams to Join WPL? Arun Dhumal Gives Clarity on Women's Premier League Expansion From 2026

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After the completion of the three-year cycle and finding success, there was belief that the Women's Premier League (WPL), organized by the BCCI, would be expanded from the existing five-team tournament.

BCCI launched WPL, a franchise-based T20 tournament featuring the world's top women's cricketers in 2023, to mirror the success of the men's Indian Premier League (IPL), and it aims to promote women's cricket in India.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India had plans to increase the number of teams after three seasons. However, according to the latest development, the country's cricket body now wants to consolidate with what is at play.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Mumbai Indians (MI), Gujarat Giants (GG), Delhi Capitals (DC) and UP Warriorz (UPW) are the five founding teams of the WPL. And these five teams will continue to battle for the title at least for the next season.

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has said WPL has "grown phenomenally" in the last three years but there are no immediate plans to increase the number of teams from the existing five. Dhumal is part of the WPL committee which is headed by BCCI president Roger Binny.

"To further strengthen this tournament for the time being, we want to consolidate before we take a call on further addition of any team. There are no immediate plans (to add teams)," Dhumal told PTI.

Having said that, Dhumal is pleased with the growth of the tournament. "So, within three editions, WPL has grown phenomenally in terms of traction, for in-stadium attendance. All the broadcast numbers are very, very encouraging. And it has given new impetus to women's cricket worldwide.

"So, we are hoping this continues to grow. And this augurs very well for not only the tournament, but women's cricket in general," Dhumal added.

WPL has not yet been played in home and away format, like it is the case with the Indian Premier League. The BCCI combined smaller centres like Baroda and Lucknow with Mumbai and Bengaluru to host the latest edition that ended on March 15.

Mumbai Indians won their second title in three years beating Delhi Capitals in the final in Mumbai earlier this year. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had won the title in 2024, also beating DC in the final in Delhi.

The BCCI had mopped up Rs 4670 crore from the sale of five teams representing Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, UP and Gujarat. The media rights were sold for Rs 951 crore, making it the second biggest women's league in the world before a ball being bowled.

The crowd turnout for majority of the games was decent this season. Though the main goal of the league is to promote the women's game in India and unearth more talent. The competition has a lot of scope to improve on that front.