The Women’s Premier League (WPL) has become one of the richest women’s cricket tournaments in the world. The BCCI organizes this league every year, and the prize money shows how seriously they support women’s cricket in India.
In WPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their second title by beating Delhi Capitals (DC) by 6 wickets in a high-scoring final at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on February 5, 2026. RCB took home a prize of Rs 6 crore, while DC earned Rs 3 crore as the runner-up.
Let’s look at the full prize money details, individual awards, and how the prize pool has changed over the years.
WPL 2026 Total Prize Pool
The BCCI kept a total prize pool of Rs 10 crore for WPL 2026. This amount covers team prizes, individual awards, and match-level prizes.
The winner receives the largest share, with the remainder going to the runner-up and the individual award categories.
The growth of the WPL prize money reflects how women’s cricket has become a strong commercial product alongside major men’s leagues. As fan interest increases across both tournaments, engagement extends beyond viewership to digital platforms, including apps for betting on IPL, where users actively follow match outcomes and team performance. This shared audience interest highlights how the success of leagues like WPL and IPL continues to shape the wider cricket ecosystem.
WPL 2026 Prize Money Breakdown
Here is the complete Breakdown of the prize amount:
| Prize Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| WPL 2026 Champion (RCB) | Rs 6 Crore |
| WPL 2026 Runner-up (DC) | Rs 3 Crore |
| Player of the Tournament | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Orange Cap Winner (Most Runs) | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Purple Cap Winner (Most Wickets) | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Most Sixes of the Season | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Best Strike Rate of the Season | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Player of the Match (Final) | Rs 2.5 Lakh |
| Player of the Match (League & Eliminator) | Rs 1 Lakh each |
RCB earned the biggest chunk of Rs 6 crore after winning the title. Delhi Capitals, despite reaching their fourth consecutive WPL final, received Rs 3 crore. The total prize pool of Rs 10 crore stayed the same as WPL 2025, showing the league’s steady financial position.
WPL 2026 Individual Award Winners
In addition to team prizes, the BCCI presented several individual awards after the WPL 2026 final. Here is the full list of award winners.
| Award | Winner | Stats / Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Cap | Smriti Mandhana (RCB) | 377 runs | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Purple Cap | Sophie Devine (GG) | 17 wickets | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Most Valuable Player | Sophie Devine (GG) | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Super Striker of the Season | Grace Harris (RCB) | SR: 178.19 | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Emerging Player of the Season | Nandini Sharma (DC) | 17 wickets | Rs 5 Lakh |
| Player of the Match (Final) | Smriti Mandhana (RCB) | 87 off 41 | Rs 2.5 Lakh |
Smriti Mandhana dominated WPL 2026. She scored 377 runs during the season and won the Orange Cap. Her knock of 87 off 41 balls in the final helped RCB chase down 204 and win the title. Sophie Devine from Gujarat Giants took both the Purple Cap and the Most Valuable Player award. She picked up 17 wickets and also scored 243 runs during the season.
Nandini Sharma from Delhi Capitals won the Emerging Player of the Season award. The 24-year-old picked up 17 wickets in her debut season, matching Devine’s tally. Grace Harris from RCB won the Super Striker award with an impressive strike rate of 178.19.
WPL Winners and Prize Money History (2023 to 2026)
The WPL started in 2023, and the winner’s prize money has stayed at Rs 6 crore since the first season. The runner-up receives Rs 3 crore annually. Here is a season-by-season breakdown of WPL winners and their prize money.
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Winner’s Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Rs 6 Crore |
| 2024 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Delhi Capitals | Rs 6 Crore |
| 2025 | Mumbai Indians | Delhi Capitals | Rs 6 Crore |
| 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Delhi Capitals | Rs 6 Crore |
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the only two teams to win the WPL title so far. MI won in 2023 and 2025, while RCB won in 2024 and 2026. Delhi Capitals have reached the final in all four seasons but have never won the title.
The winner’s prize has stayed at Rs 6 crore since the very first season. The total prize pool also remains around Rs 10 crore. This shows that the BCCI has established a stable financial structure for the league from the outset.
How Does WPL Prize Money Compare With IPL?
The WPL champion earns Rs 6 crore, while the IPL champion earns Rs 20 crore (based on IPL 2024 figures). The gap is large, but the WPL is still a young league. When compared to other women’s T20 leagues around the world, the WPL offers the highest prize money.
The WPL winner’s prize is also higher than the Pakistan Super League (PSL) winner’s prize. PSL champions earn around Rs 3.5 crore (120 million PKR), which is less than what the WPL runner-up gets.
| League | Winner’s Prize | Runner-up’s Prize |
|---|---|---|
| WPL 2026 | Rs 6 Crore | Rs 3 Crore |
| IPL 2024 | Rs 20 Crore | Rs 13 Crore |
| PSL 2024 | ~Rs 3.5 Crore | ~Rs 1.7 Crore |
WPL 2026 Final Recap
Delhi Capitals batted first and posted 203/4 in 20 overs. Jemimah Rodrigues scored 57 off 37 balls, while Laura Wolvaardt added 44 off 25 deliveries. Chinelle Henry smashed 35 off just 15 balls at the end to push DC past 200.
RCB lost Grace Harris early in the chase. But Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll took complete control after that. The pair added 165 runs for the second wicket, the highest partnership in a WPL final. Voll scored 79 off 54 balls, and Mandhana made 87 off 41 balls. Radha Yadav hit two boundaries in the final over to seal the win with 2 balls remaining.
This was the highest successful run chase in WPL history. RCB chased down 204 in just 19.4 overs. With this win, RCB joined MI as the only teams with two WPL titles.
Related Reads:
Key Takeaways
The WPL prize pool has stayed at Rs 10 crore since 2023. The winner earns Rs 6 crore, and the runner-up gets Rs 3 crore every season. Individual awards carry prizes between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.
The league continues to grow in terms of competition and fan interest. The consistent prize money reflects the BCCI’s long-term commitment to women’s cricket. With strong performances from players like Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine, and others, the WPL continues to raise the bar for women’s T20 leagues worldwide.
Leave a Comment