The teams will be aligned with the existing eight teams competing in the KFC T20 Big Bash League (BBL), with the decision endorsed by the CA Board on Friday.
Speaking about the competition, CA CEO James Sutherland said: "We see T20 as the premium format of the women's game and the WBBL is an exciting concept that will increase the promotion and exposure of women's cricket.
"We want cricket to be the number one sport for girls and women in Australia and we believe that the WBBL can assist this goal by creating an inspiring visible pathway for the next generation of players, fans and volunteers," he said.
The operational component of the competition will be managed by State Associations, as was the case with the previous WT20 competition.