The WPL 2026 matches on January 15 will be played behind closed doors at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. The match clashes with the Navi Mumbai Municipal Elections and the police have informed BCCI their inability to provide security for the same. It is unclear whether games on January 14 and 16, day before and after the election will see spectators inside the stadium.
As per ESPNCricinfo, the WPL committee was updated soon after the election date was decided. BCCI however is yet to announce whether the match will see any spectators or not. As of now, no tickets for the matches on those dates have been listed or sold yet.
"The thing is that there is a local (municipal) election in Mumbai on 15th. So we are contemplating that we'll go ahead with the matches. Whether there will be crowd in the stands or not, we are yet to finalise or take a decision," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told IANS.
A venue change at this late hour would be a logistical challenge for the BCCI. The Mumbai BMC Elections mean neither the Wankhede Stadium nor the Brabourne Stadium will be seen fit with no security. Matches could be shifted to Pune but a 2-day notice for the franchises will be a hard sell.
It would be a huge blow should the matches be played behind closed doors. While ticketing revenue is not huge, the season 4 was building a huge support base for women's cricket. The WPL 2026 has already seen a few thrilling matches, with fans coming in large numbers to watch the players in action.
The WPL 2026 games set to be affected are: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz on January 14, Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz on January 15, and Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru on January 16.
