The Board of Control for Cricket in India recently announced ChatGPT and Kingfisher Packaged Water as new commercial partners for the upcoming 2026 and 2027 seasons of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in deals that are collectively valued at Rs 48 crore. Additionally, bottled water brand Bisleri has also got on board as the league’s beverage partner. These, along with existing deals signed by brands such as CEAT, Tata Group, Herbalife and Sintex, are a clear indication that advertisers are clearly recognising the surge in popularity for women’s cricket.
Experts say that the Indian team’s scintillating victory during this year’s ICC women’s World Cup, which saw a record 185 million digital viewers tune in for the final, has served to boost advertiser confidence in women’s cricket and the WPL.
On the broadcasting front, advertiser interest is the highest ever for the WPL, says Anup Govindan, head, sports sales, JioStar, that holds the broadcast rights. “Women’s cricket has well and truly arrived both from a fandom and commercial standpoint. The recent World Cup has accelerated this shift, with women cricketers gaining acceptance as mainstream brand ambassadors, and brands increasingly recognising their influence,” he says.
Govindan adds that the league has been attracting higher marketing budgets and more premium sponsorship commitment, with advertiser participation growing by 17% in 2025 over 2024. While he is unable to disclose the names of advertisers for 2026, the broadcaster had roped in 10 major sponsors for WPL 2025, including SBI, Amul, Himalaya and Tata Motors, among others.
Industry estimates put the number of participating advertisers at over 70 during the WPL broadcast in 2025. For the 2026 season, ad rates have expectedly also risen by 20-25% to `60,000 per 10 seconds for HD and SD TV, while CTV rates are at `400-450 CPM (cost per mille) and mobile CPM is at `130-140 CPM.
According to D and P Advisory, the WPL ecosystem’s value in 2025 is `1,275 crore, a 5.6% decline from 2024 when it was `1,350 crore. Despite these declines, observers are confident the two leagues will remain valuable though there will be a shift from aggressive growth to sustainable monetisation.
Game of eyeballs
According to Kshemal Waingankar, COO of Capri Sports, which owns the UP Warriorz team, the WPL in its 2025 season saw a 50% growth in viewership over the previous season, despite coinciding with the ICC men’s Champions Trophy that saw India win. Considering the momentum that women’s cricket has been seeing especially after the World Cup win, he expects fan interest and viewership to catapult during WPL 2026.
Sources say that in its pitch to advertisers, JioStar is projecting a reach of 200 to 250 million viewers on linear TV and 105 million viewers on digital for this season, over 50% higher than the 2025 season. Experts reckon that the projected numbers are rather high, but add that the World Cup saw new viewership benchmarks, which may well be carried into the WPL. Viewership for the women’s final this year was equal to the ICC men’s T20 World Cup final in 2024. A total of 446 million watched the women’s World Cup this year, up by 166% over 2022.
Waingankar adds that several new brands are now coming on board to explore first-time WPL associations and franchise-led integrations. “Brands now view the WPL as a credible, high-engagement platform rather than a trial property. The categories showing the most traction include beauty and personal care, fashion, electronics, mobility, health and wellness, nutrition, and tech-first consumer products,” he remarks.
Concerns about advertisers
Although there are concerns about advertisers holding back budgets for the ICC men’s T20 World Cup that starts in February, most experts believe that the impact on WPL spending will be minimal. Brands are reportedly increasing their budgets for WPL and women’s cricket by a good 30% to 50%, add observers. Team sponsorship revenues have grown by 10% this year, while player endorsements surged by well over 25% post the World Cup success.
“The WPL shifted women’s cricket from occasional interest to mainstream appointment viewing, driving greater advertiser confidence and acceptance,” observes Deepmala, founder and CEO of The Visual House.
The first three WPL seasons successfully proved that women’s cricket can deliver consistent ratings, strong digital traction and a commercially viable league model, points out Santosh N, managing partner at D and P Advisory, adding that all stakeholders could do more to leverage the property’s early success.
“The league has shifted audience perceptions, building genuine fan loyalty and on-field hero narratives. The BCCI, broadcasters and brands can capitalise on the growing popularity by taking the league to new cities, creating immersive digital and in-stadium experiences, running bolder marketing campaigns, and deepening fan interaction to sustain excitement beyond the tournament,” he sums up.