WPL 2026 attracts stronger brand pull after World Cup triumph

When the Women’s Premier League kicked off in 2023, it felt like a long-awaited moment for women’s cricket in India. Backed by a ₹951 crore media rights deal with Viacom18, the WPL arrived.

The response was instant. Across its first 14 matches, the inaugural season pulled in around 50 million viewers on TV and digital. The final alone was watched live by more than 10 million people, making it the most-watched women’s sports event in the world at the time. For a league in its first year, the numbers felt almost unreal.

If 2023 was about proof, the seasons that followed were about momentum. In 2024, viewership doubled, crossing 103 million TV viewers in the first 15 games. By 2025, the league no longer needed defending. The opening match drew close to 30 million television viewers, ratings shot up by 150%, digital viewership climbed 70%, and the WPL’s overall reach touched an estimated 300 million fans.

Then came November 2025, when India’s women lifted the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup for the first time and made history. The final was watched by 185 million viewers on JioHotstar, matching the audience of the men’s T20 World Cup final the year before. Across the tournament, 446 million people tuned in, the highest ever for women’s cricket in India.

Viewership numbers across both digital and connected TV platforms highlighted a shift in how audiences engage with the women’s game. Watch-time soared. Digital and connected TV viewership surged. Even the early matches clocked over 60 million viewers and seven billion watch minutes, around a five-fold increase from the previous edition. 

Now, from Jan 9, the TATA Women’s Premier League (WPL), enters its most commercially potent phase yet. The World Cup success has created a halo effect, turbocharging brand interest, expanding viewership anticipation for WPL, and prompting sponsors to rethink and expand their media strategies.

World Cup momentum shaping WPL’s sponsorship strategy

When the WPL began in 2023, brand interest was curious but cautious. Sponsors came in to see if women’s cricket could truly deliver attention at scale. That first season saw over 50 brands associate with the league. Over the next two years, that hesitation slowly disappeared. By 2025, the WPL had more than 70 advertisers spanning 45 categories.

Alongside traditional cricket advertisers came beauty, fashion, jewellery and fintech brands, categories that had rarely found space in men’s cricket. Names like Kay Beauty, LoveChild and Tanishq entered the WPL ecosystem, drawn by the league’s strong female following and more accessible sponsorship entry points.

The money followed the belief. Central sponsorship revenues doubled from around ₹50 crore in 2023 to over ₹100 crore by 2025, with team sponsorships adding another ₹50-65 crore. 

India’s Women’s World Cup victory then added fresh momentum to that confidence, accelerating internal conversations from cautious participation to more assured, long-term investment planning around the WPL.

That momentum is clearly visible going into 2026. There are over 70 advertisers across broadcast this season, spanning BFSI, fintech, new-age tech, beauty and lifestyle, automotive and EV, as well as FMCG and beverages. The league has already secured ₹48 crore in commercial agreements for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, with new partners signing on across the league and its five teams. Brands such as Amul, L’Oréal Professionnel, BKT Tyres, EaseMyTrip, Joy Skincare, Skechers, De Beers Group and DHL now sit alongside long-time supporters, while official broadcaster JioStar has onboarded fifteen sponsors for the current season.

Reflecting this shift, Vikram Bahl, CMO, United Breweries Limited, says the World Cup result strengthened an internal realisation. “India’s Women’s World Cup victory has been a powerful cultural moment and has further strengthened our belief that women’s cricket is no longer a niche sporting property, but a mainstream cultural platform with long-term relevance.” The win, he adds, deepened emotional connections with fans, pushing conversations beyond visibility towards richer storytelling and deeper engagement during the WPL.

Kaushik Chakraborty, Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications, Tata Capital, a sponsor that came on board in 2023, echoes this view, noting that the victory has lifted the league’s stature across the country. “The Indian team’s historic Women’s World Cup victory has further amplified the league’s relevance, influence, and ability to command nationwide attention.”

“WPL 2026 is a completely different beast compared to previous seasons. If Seasons 1 and 3 were about building the foundation, this year is about an outright explosion. A massive driver behind this shift has been India’s 2025 World Cup win,” says Chintan Shah, Vice President, Sportz Interactive. 

Shah points out that digital reach has jumped by nearly 100%, touching close to 450 million people. 

He explains that while early WPL seasons saw brands associating with the league largely for social signalling or diversity-led narratives, investments in 2026 are being driven by far clearer ROI expectations.

According to Shah, the central sponsor pool has expanded to over 15 brands this season, up from around 10 in 2025, with the steady entry of new categories signalling how far the league has evolved from its FMCG-heavy beginnings. The entry of brands such as OpenAI, automotive players and jewellery brands, he says, underlines this shift. 

He adds, “Cumulatively, team and central sponsorship revenues are expected to touch around ₹120 crore this season, marking a clear transition from purpose-led participation to profit-driven investment.”

From a media planning lens, the evolution has been just as sharp. Vaishal Dalal, Co-Founder, Excellent Publicity, observes that what started as an exploratory opportunity has matured into a serious marketing platform. The World Cup win, he says, has only accelerated that confidence, with brands now weaving WPL into their plans through a balanced mix of digital-first strategies and traditional media for scale.

In just four seasons, the WPL has moved from trial to trust. As the World Cup momentum carries into 2026, brands are shifting focus from proof of impact to the scale and depth of their association with the league.

From players to icons

If the World Cup win changed how the WPL is viewed, it has transformed how its players are valued. 

According to Shah, the 2025 triumph marked a decisive shift in perception. “The victory didn’t just create fans; it created heroes. For the first time, India’s women cricketers are being viewed as icons, which has fundamentally changed how brands approach the league,” he says.

Shah explains that brand conversations have moved beyond reach and ratings to something deeper. “The question is no longer whether people are watching, but how brands can be part of this hero journey,” he notes. 

This shift, he says, is already visible in endorsement economics. “With fees for top players rising by 50-100%, as the market begins to recognise the true impact women’s cricket can deliver.”

A key driver of this surge is the audience itself. Shah points out that urban female viewership now accounts for close to 48% of the WPL fan base, bringing with it a powerful decision-making audience that brands actively seek. As a result, categories such as BFSI and fintech, alongside technology players like OnePlus and OpenAI, are increasing their presence, seeing women cricketers as credible, high-impact brand ambassadors. Shah adds, “Women athletes are perceived as more authentic, and their engagement rates are three to four times higher than those of their male counterparts.”

The World Cup win has further accelerated what Shah describes as a “player-first” phenomenon. Sentiment and loyalty now sit at the heart of brand associations, with fans following players as much as teams. This has helped turn stars like Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues into household names, reflected clearly in their growing endorsement portfolios.

Mandhana, who commands a social media following of over 22 million, has partnered with brands ranging from Hyundai, Red Bull and Nike to Mastercard, Garnier, Hero MotoCorp and SBI. Harmanpreet Kaur, with around 6 million followers, has worked with Puma, Tata Motors, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Boost and ICICI Bank, among others. Jemimah Rodrigues, followed by nearly 4 million fans, is associated with brands such as Boost, Gatorade India, Dream11, Realme and CEAT Tyres.

The World Cup win has cemented these players as icons, prompting brands to reassess how they evaluate influence, endorsement value and long-term association in the women’s game.

And as these players become central to the league’s appeal, the way brands engage with the WPL is evolving too. With audiences spreading across television, digital, and OTT platforms, and with fans following players as much as teams, brands are no longer just buying visibility; they are crafting multi-platform stories to connect deeply with the WPL’s growing fanbase. This shift has brought media planning into the spotlight, as sponsors look to balance scale, engagement, and cultural resonance across every touchpoint.

Scoring on the media mix report card

With viewership patterns fragmenting across screens and consumption becoming increasingly on-demand, WPL sponsors are designing media plans that balance mass reach with contextual, high-attention engagement. The post-World Cup surge has further pushed brands to move beyond single-medium dominance and adopt integrated, behaviour-led media mixes that mirror how fans actually follow the sport today.

For United Breweries Limited, the WPL media strategy is anchored in how fans fluidly move between television, OTT platforms and social media. Bahl explains that the intent is to ensure both scale and depth of engagement across touchpoints where audiences are most active. “Our media mix for WPL is anchored in fan behaviour and evolving viewing choices. The campaign will have a strong presence across TV, digital OTT platforms and social media, ensuring scale as well as depth of engagement,” he says. Beyond broadcast, the brand is also investing in on-ground innovations, using the iconic ‘O la la la leo’ sonic identity to amplify recall and energy within stadium environments.

A similarly integrated philosophy underpins Bisleri’s approach this season. Tushar Malhotra, Director- Sales & Marketing, Bisleri, shares the brand’s 360-degree amplification plan. “Our plan, which will encompass limited edition bottles featuring the team captains, exciting digital content, on-ground visibility and activations, a robust television and CTV advertising plan with TVCs across all matches and of course, retail POSM and visibility on our truck backs.”

We have a truly integrated marketing approach with a 360-degree amplification plan, which will encompass limited edition bottles featuring the team captains, exciting digital content, on-ground visibility and activations, a robust television and CTV advertising plan with TVCs across all matches and of course, retail POSM and visibility on our truck backs. 

At Tata Capital, the media mix reflects contemporary consumption habits while retaining television for scale. Chakraborty shares,“Our media strategy mirrors contemporary consumption, combining digital, social, on-ground activations, and television for scale and impact. Through the TATA WPL, Tata Capital becomes part of everyday conversations while bringing to life our brand promise of ‘Count on Us.’“

Through immersive storytelling and celebratory moments, the WPL enables Tata Capital to be experienced rather than just seen, while also creating long-term archive value for the brand.

“Brands are actively integrating WPL into their plans using a mix of digital-first and traditional media. OTT and digital streaming have emerged as the primary mediums due to strong online viewership, supported by television broadcasts for mass reach. In addition, on-ground branding at stadiums, team kit sponsorships, social media campaigns, and athlete-led influencer collaborations are being widely leveraged to create multi-touchpoint engagement around the tournament,” adds Dalal.

Audience definition and cultural reach

Sponsors perceive the WPL audience as both broad and deeply engaged. For brands, it’s about tapping into the passionate universe of Indian cricket fans while also reaching global audiences through marquee sporting partnerships. 

“The WPL audience is the passionate cricket fandom universe of India and also a global international audience for a marquee sporting event such as this” says Malhotra.

This broad definition enables the brand to position itself in cultural moments where passion and sport intersect.

Kingfisher’s audience focus extends to young, urban and semi-urban consumers who are digitally active and culturally engaged. Bahl notes that WPL enables reach across traditional cricket-viewing demographics while also attracting progressive audiences keen on stories of aspiration and national pride.

For Tata Capital, the WPL audience includes digitally savvy consumers and households that see sport as reflective of modern India’s growth. Chakraborty argues that the league’s ability to drive engagement across age groups and geographies makes it strategically valuable for brands seeking to build enduring relevance.

Dalal identifies a notably gender-diverse, younger demographic that many brands find valuable, particularly in beauty, BFSI, fashion, consumer tech, and other lifestyle categories. This diversity of audience interest has broadened sponsorship appeal beyond traditional FMCG segments.

The Indian women’s World Cup triumph of 2025 has accelerated the commercial evolution of the WPL, transforming it into a fertile ground for brand investment and media innovation. Sponsors like Bisleri, Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water, and Tata Capital are leveraging integrated media mixes that blend TV, digital, CTV, social, and on-ground activations to capture both scale and sentiment. 

The challenge for the WPL moving forward will be to maintain this trajectory, nurturing audience growth, deepening fan narratives, and pioneering media strategies that reflect the authentic aspirations of a new generation of cricket lovers. With 2026 shaping up to be its most consequential season yet, the league and its sponsors are poised to ride the wave created by history-making victory on a global stage.