The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 will be played from March 26 to May 3, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed, marking another direct overlap with the Indian Premier League (IPL). The announcement comes ahead of an auction for two new franchises on January 8 in Islamabad, which will expand the PSL to eight teams from its 11th season.
The revised window is slightly earlier than PSL X in 2025, which ran from April 11 to May 25, but the league will still clash with the IPL for a second straight year. The IPL is scheduled from March 17 to May 31, meaning both tournaments will once again compete for players, audiences, and global attention.
PSL 2026 will be the longest season in the league’s history, stretching across 39 playing days, nearly a week longer than previous editions. With two additional teams, the number of matches is expected to rise, although the full schedule will only be finalised after the franchise auction.
The PCB has intensified efforts to attract investors, holding recent roadshows at Lord’s and in New York, while the five original franchise owners have renewed their stakes for another decade. However, Multan Sultans’ future remains uncertain, with current owner Ali Tareen confirming he will not renew amid an ongoing dispute with the league.
Lahore Qalandars, the defending champions, remain the PSL’s most valuable franchise and currently pay around PKR 980 million (USD 3.47 million) per year in franchise fees, as the league prepares for a pivotal new era.
