The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 is set to kick off with high-octane entertainment, as renowned singer Yo Yo Honey Singh and popular actress Jacqueline Fernandez have been announced as the headline performers for the opening ceremony. The event, scheduled for January 9, promises to blend top-tier cricket with a star-studded musical and dance spectacle to celebrate the start of the tournament’s third season.
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Honey Singh, Jacqueline Fernandez to light up WPL 2026 opening ceremony
The WPL governing body officially confirmed the lineup through a social media post, sparking significant excitement among fans. The ceremony will serve as the prelude to the opening match, setting a glamorous tone for the competition as the world's best female cricketers gather for another intense season of T20 action.
"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's social media post read.
"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.
MI vs RCB in WPL 2026 opener
WPL is set to ignite with a high-stakes opener at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This inaugural clash features a heavyweight battle between the defending champions, Mumbai Indians, and the 2024 winners, Royal Challengers Bengaluru. To maintain a compact and energetic schedule, the tournament will be hosted across just two venues, with the 22 matches split evenly between the DY Patil Stadium and the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
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In a first for the league, the WPL final has been scheduled for a weekday, with the championship match set for Thursday, February 5. This strategic move was made to ensure the women’s finale does not overlap with the start of the Men’s T20 World Cup, which begins later that same week across India and Sri Lanka. The Men’s World Cup is slated to kick off on Saturday, February 7, featuring an opening encounter between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo.
According to the official schedule, Navi Mumbai will host the first leg of the tournament, consisting of 11 matches, including marquee afternoon double-headers on January 10 and 17. The league will then transition to Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium for the remaining 11 fixtures. This second leg will include the high-pressure knockout rounds, specifically the Eliminator on February 2 and the grand final on February 5.