Next edition of Afghanistan Premier League slated for late 2026
Afghanistan Cricket Board said on Monday that they have decided to launch the next edition of Afghanistan Premier League during the final quarter of 2026.
ACB hosted the launch event for the Afghanistan Premier League T20 (APLT20) in the UAE on December 20, where the ACB and its partners revealed the tournament's logo, proposed window, venue, and number of teams.
"We plan to conduct the tournament in the final quarter of 2026. The decision to host the APL in this specific timeframe comes after careful consideration of Afghanistan's busy schedule up until then," ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan told Cricbuzz on Monday.
"This includes the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in February, followed by the IPL and the PSL, and then Afghanistan's two bilateral assignments a home and away series against India, and FTP events against Sri Lanka, Ireland, Bangladesh, and South Africa," he said.
"The aim is to hold the APL in a window that is free of Afghanistan's bilateral assignments and does not clash with other franchise leagues, while also ensuring the weather in the UAE is pleasant. Based on these factors, the ACB will finalize a feasible window for the much-anticipated league.The event will feature five teams and will be played in a double round-robin format, followed by the playoffs and the final," he said.
Five teams - Balkh Legends, Kabul Zwanan, Kandahar Knights, Nangarhar Leopards and Paktia Panthers - featured in the inaugural edition of the APL in 2018, which was won by Balkh Legends. Since then, multiple attempts to revive the tournament have were unsuccessful, with the second edition postponed after the ACB scrapped the league's sanction and commercial rights agreement with Snixer Sports over the non-payment of full rights fees.
Naseeb insisted that they have learnt their lesson and are preparing taking everything into consideration.
"The ACB has matured significantly from both technical and administrative perspectives.The team is performing exceptionally well; four of our players were part of the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2024, and Azmatullah Omarzai was named the ICC Men's ODI Player of the Year. This is a clear indication of how our team has been performing in international cricket recently," said Naseeb.
"In addition to the National Team, we have reformed the National A Team (Afghan Abdalyan), which has not only engaged in multiple international assignments but also went on to win the ACC Men's Emerging Teams' T20 Asia Cup in 2024. This is a huge achievement for us as a Board. We have seen that our uncapped domestic players have grabbed the attention of franchise leagues globally. I mention these points to highlight that we possess immense talent, and the APL will be the perfect opportunity to polish this talent and prepare them further for international cricket," he said.
"Regarding administration, the ACB initiated the process of identifying a strategic partner by announcing a Request for Proposal (RFP) in June 2023. The purpose was to find a partner financially and technically capable of contributing to the long-term success of the APL. This process involved rigorous evaluation over a year. Ultimately, a joint venture between ITW and Trans Group was signed as the ACB's long-term strategic partner for the APL in June 2025," he said.
"Given the progress made since awarding the partnership rights, the recent improvements, and the clear roadmap for the team auctions and Draft ceremony ahead, I believe we are in a very strong position to resume the APL and provide our youngsters the platform they deserve," he added.
