Renowned singer Yo Yo Honey Singh and famous actress Jacqueline Fernandez will be performing at the opening ceremony of the Women's Premier League 2026, that gets underway on January 9.
The development was confirmed by the WPL body with a social media post. "When the beat drops, history begins. Yo Yo Honey Singh takes centre stage at the TATA WPL 2026 Pre Match Entertainment - setting the tone for an electrifying season," WPL said in a social media post.
The body also confirmed that Jacqueline will be turning up with a pre-match performance. "This stage celebrates more than sport, it celebrates women. The TATA WPL Opening Day comes alive with a Pre-Match performance by Jacqueline Fernandez that honours confidence, courage, and the unstoppable rise of women in sport," it added.
WPL to begin on January 9 with MI facing RCB
Defending champions Mumbai Indians will be facing 2024 champions Royal Champions Bengaluru in the first match of the fourth season of WPL at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
The tournament will be played across two venues with the 22 matches taking place in Navi Mumbai and the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
In a first for the tournament, the WPL final will be played on a weekday, with the title clash scheduled for Thursday, February 5, a move aimed at avoiding a clash with the men’s T20 World Cup, which begins the same week in India and Sri Lanka.
The T20 World Cup gets underway on Saturday, February 7, with Pakistan facing the Netherlands in Colombo.
Navi Mumbai will be hosting 11 matches, including afternoon double-headers on January 10 and 17, as per the schedule announced on Saturday.
The league will then move to Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium, which will host the remaining 11 matches, including the Eliminator on February 2 and the final on February 5.
WPL to be played in January-February window for first time
This will also mark the first time the WPL is being staged in a January–February window, after the previous three editions were held in February - March, just ahead of the IPL and often clashing with international commitments.
The format remains unchanged, with the five teams - Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants and Delhi Capitals — playing each other twice in a double round-robin league. The table-topper will advance directly to the final, while the second and third-placed teams will contest the Eliminator for the remaining spot.
Mumbai Indians have claimed two titles in three seasons, with RCB lifting the trophy in 2024. Delhi Capitals have finished runners-up in all three editions so far, while Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz are yet to make a final appearance.
Ten days after the WPL concludes, the Indian women’s team will begin an all-format tour of Australia, comprising three T20Is, three ODIs and a Test from February 15 to March 9.
