WPL to get more venues in future [Source: @wplt20/x]The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have explained the logistical challenges that forced them into hosting the WPL 2026 season in just two venues, as opposed to the from four last year. It is worth noting that the ongoing 2026 edition of the tournament is scheduled at just the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium in Vadodara. The WPL 2025 season last year, meanwhile, was hosted across four different cities, namely Bengaluru, Lucknow, Vadodara and Mumbai. BCCI secretary explains issues with Lucknow for WPL matches While speaking with Sportstar, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that the ongoing WPL 2026 season is only being played at two venues, because Delhi is scheduled to host matches in the upcoming 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Without specifying in details, Saikia also added that there are still issues with Lucknow, likely referring to the India vs South Africa T20I being called off here due to excessive fog last month. He said, “Earlier, we hosted the tournament across four venues – Delhi, Lucknow, Vadodara and Navi Mumbai. But this time we are doing it only in two venues, because Delhi will be hosting the T20 World Cup, whereas there are issues with Lucknow.” Devajit Saikia further stated that matches in Lucknow does not result in similar crowd turnouts as it does in other venues, which is why the BCCI is not requesting the Ekana Stadium for hosting WPL fixtures for the meantime. Explaining the Lucknow situation, Saika explained, “There is always a shortage of crowd for women’s cricket. Even for IPL matches, there is less crowd than at other venues. So we are not requesting Lucknow to host women’s events because we want people to come and enjoy the game.” Saikia claims new WPL venues to be added in future The BCCI secretary explained that the board only has a few options when it comes to picking WPL venues. Stating the reasons behind selecting Vadodara and Navi Mumbai for WPL 2026, he said “So, we have been left with very few options. Vadodara is a wonderful venue, and on the other hand, we have seen the crowd response and the facilities at the D.Y. Patil Stadium for the Women’s World Cup final. It was wonderful. These two venues are helpful for us logistically as well.” Devajit Saikia further claimed that the number of venues will increase in the future when new teams are added to the WPL roaster. He said, “In the coming times, when the number of teams in the WPL also increases, the number of venues will also certainly increase. Otherwise, we have very limited States because we have to look into the territory of those franchises. We cannot have a match in Kolkata or Chennai because neither of those cities has any WPL franchise. Therefore, all the other States are also ruled out.” For now, the BCCI remains focused on logistical efficiency and fan turnout, with a broader venue expansion firmly linked to the future growth of teams in the WPL.
