The Women’s Premier League (WPL) is heading into its most lucrative season yet as women’s cricket in India hits a decisive inflection point — moving from promise to profit — following the Indian team’s recent World Cup triumph.
Executives across media, sports marketing and franchise ownership say advertiser appetite has fundamentally shifted for the WPL whose 4th season started Friday, with brands no longer “testing” the property but committing at scale.
A wide spectrum of brands has lined up behind the WPL this season, cutting across FMCG, automotive, consumer durables, BFSI, technology, lifestyle and home-improvement categories. This includes Amul, ChatGPT, Dr Fixit (Pidilite), L’Oréal, State Bank of India, BHIM UPI, Kajaria Tiles, Lakme, Kalyan Jewellers, Ashok Leyland, TVS Eurogrip Tyres, BKT, Hero VIDA and Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water.
Some brands such as CEAT, SBI and L’Oréal have remained invested since Season 1, signalling long-term confidence, while others including Dr Fixit, BKT and Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water are first-time entrants betting on the league’s expanding commercial potential. While BKT Tyres has signed up with all five franchise teams, rival beverage players like Bisleri and Kingfisher will compete head-to-head for consumer attention this season.
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Industry estimates suggest sponsorship spending around the league, teams and media partners has surged more than three-fold in three years — from about Rs 40 crore in the first season of 2023 to nearly Rs 130 crore in 2026.
While announcing Dr Fixit’s partnership for umpire jerseys, Sudhanshu Vats, Managing Director of Pidilite Industries, noted, “Indian women’s cricket has grown steadily through resilience, commitment, and remarkable performance, culminating in a World Cup victory that has inspired millions across the country. Partnering with the WPL allows us to celebrate this spirit and be associated with one of India’s fastest‑growing sporting movements.”
The advertiser mix underscores that shift.
According to Anup Govindan, Head - Sports Sales, JioStar, while traditional categories such as FMCG, beverages and consumer tech continue to remain strong, this season, brands from diverse sectors including BSFI, fintech and payments, auto and EVs, gems and jewelry retail and AI have come on board.
No Longer Aspirational — It Is Mainstream Business
If the IPL is navigating maturity, the WPL remains firmly in a growth phase — and a highly investable one. Expanding fandom, institutional advertiser confidence and sharper valuation metrics have shifted the WPL from a social narrative to a serious business asset. For India’s sporting economy and the broader marketing ecosystem, that pivot may well be the most consequential development of this season.
The league has moved beyond its “emerging women’s sports” label to position itself among India’s most premium sports properties mainly because its growth has been disciplined rather than speculative. Categories that tested waters in the initial seasons are returning with
larger spends, richer integrations and deeper narrative-led partnerships, say industry leaders.
Karan Yadav, Chief Commercial Officer, JSW Sports (which co-owns the Delhi Capital team) captures the shift: “Back in 2023, most brands were early believers—curious, experimental, and willing to take a leap of faith. By 2025, the mindset has completely shifted. Brands aren’t asking whether they should be in the WPL anymore; they’re asking how they can show up better. The base hasn’t just widened; it has deepened… WPL is no longer a one-off experiment; it’s becoming a core part of media plans.”
Premium partnerships, he adds, have seen a calibrated 15–20 percent uplift. “Rates have strengthened where value is proven… For 2026, we’re looking at steady progression rather than explosive growth. The aim is to do fewer things better, not just do more.”
The commercial momentum is being driven by something marketers value above all else — reliability.
“Brands are now strategically embracing the women’s league to maximise ROI. Elite partners now see immense value in engaging with the full spectrum of the sport,” says Nikhil Bardia, Head of RISE Worldwide.
Adds sports marketing expert Arun Rao, “The WPL is no longer just another sponsorship. Brands are investing with intent, building narratives and signing long-term partnerships because the returns are real.”
“The scale of money coming in proves confidence in the WPL is now structural, not sentimental,” Rao explains.
Familiarity, Emotion, ROI
Yadav says the familiarity has changed how brands evaluate the league. “Teams feel familiar now. Players are recognisable all year, and that changes everything,” he says. “For brands, ROI is showing up in very real ways: stronger engagement, better recall, and deeper emotional association. Women’s cricket also gives marketers a longer storytelling window, which is driving more confident, long-term commitments.”
This confidence is most evident among partners who came early and have stayed invested — not out of sentiment, but because the returns justify it.
Industry watchers say this marks a decisive break from the “support marketing” phase of women’s sport. Sponsorship is now rooted in performance, not goodwill.
Another clear shift is that brands historically rooted in men’s cricket are now expanding into the women’s league — a definitive market signal, sports marketing expert Arun Rao says. He adds, “This is no longer ‘just another sponsorship.’ Brands are investing with intent, building stories, and creating long-term associations.”