BCCI Announces October 28 Auction Date for WPL Season 5

The build-up to Women’s Premier League Season 5 now has a firm starting gun. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially informed all five WPL franchises that the auction for the new season will take place on October 28 in Kochi, setting the calendar – and the calculators – in motion.

The communication went out to the teams on Wednesday (September 16), and with it came the first hard deadline of the cycle. Franchises have until September 28 to finalise their retention lists and release decisions, a two-week window that will shape not just auction strategy but the competitive balance of the league.

Retention calls and cap pressure

Each squad can carry a maximum of 18 players, with no more than six overseas names on the roster. The salary cap for this cycle stands at INR 15 crore, a figure that forces tough choices on star-heavy squads and opens doors for emerging domestic talent.

Those retention meetings now take on added weight. Hold on to a proven core and risk limited flexibility at the table, or release a big name to chase depth and balance? The answers will decide who walks into Kochi with the loudest paddle and who must build smart rather than big.

Mumbai and Vadodara set to host again

While auction plans are locked, the venues for Season 5 are all but settled. BCCI is understood to have zeroed in on Mumbai and Vadodara once more, with the tournament expected to run in the familiar January–February window, mirroring last season’s schedule.

The CCI in Mumbai and the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara have been identified as the definitive hosts. Season 4 unfolded across these two grounds, with the final played in the Gujarat city on February 5, and the board appears keen to lean on that established template.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who lifted the trophy last season, will return as defending champions on surfaces and in conditions the league now knows well.

Varanasi idea on hold

There had been a push in some quarters to take WPL games to Varanasi, where a new stadium is under construction. The idea carried clear appeal: a fresh market, a new venue, another step in the league’s expansion.

For now, it sits on the back burner.

Sources within the WPL set-up indicate that any move to Varanasi hinges entirely on the stadium’s readiness. The ground must first host domestic fixtures and prove it can handle the demands of elite cricket. At this stage, staging WPL matches there is viewed as a remote possibility rather than an imminent shift.

So the immediate picture is clear. Kochi will host the auction on October 28, Mumbai and Vadodara will carry the weight of Season 5, and the five franchises have 15 crore rupees, 18 squad slots, and 12 days to decide who is worth betting on all over again.