Afghanistan insist Premier League will return on December 27 despite two vacant franchises
ACB maintains December start as it seeks two more franchise owners
The Afghanistan Cricket Board says the Afghanistan Premier League will begin on December 27, 2026, with five teams, despite two franchise agreements still to be finalised. ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan dismissed the possibility of a delay, saying the board remained “fully committed to delivering the APL as planned.”
Three franchise owners have been secured, while five parties are interested in the remaining two places. According to the ACB, those parties include one from Afghanistan and others from India and additional markets. The league’s inaugural edition is scheduled to take place in the UAE, though the board has left open the possibility of hosting it elsewhere in future.
Draft planned for October after revival delays
Naseeb said the player draft is scheduled for the final week of October. Around 1,500 players have registered, including international players, and a committee is screening applicants against approved criteria. Afghan coaches are also being assembled for the draft, with other coaching staff and team captains to be selected according to franchise needs.
The APL has not been staged since its 2018 inaugural season, when Balkh Legends won a five-team tournament. A proposed second edition was postponed after the ACB scrapped its sanction and commercial-rights agreement with Snixer Sports over unpaid rights fees. Previous efforts to revive the competition have also failed, and the current search for franchisees had raised fresh questions about whether the planned return would proceed.
ACB hopes English players will be available
The ACB chief executive also expressed hope that English cricketers would be able to take part, amid uncertainty over whether they would receive no-objection certificates from the England and Wales Cricket Board. English players’ involvement has been questioned after England declined to play bilateral cricket against Afghanistan because of the Taliban government’s treatment of women.
Naseeb said the ACB values its relationship with the ECB and hopes for cooperation on player participation in franchise competitions, subject to each board’s policies, schedules and contractual obligations. He said the ACB had facilitated its own players’ participation in England and other leagues, and hoped the same spirit would extend to the APL.