Two remaining franchise slots in the Afghanistan Premier League — a tournament scheduled to begin on 27 December — have drawn expressions of interest from five separate parties, the Afghanistan Cricket Board has disclosed. Among those set to participate are franchise owners representing Afghanistan and India, alongside investors from additional markets, with the ACB having already secured commitments from three of the five ownership groups required to stage the planned tournament.
Hosting rights for the tournament's first edition rest with the UAE, though the ACB has indicated the competition could be relocated elsewhere in future editions. Uncertainty over whether sufficient participating teams could be secured had prompted discussion of the APL being delayed, with the competition having last been held during its opening edition in 2018.
At the APL's launch in 2018, five franchises — Balkh Legends, Kabul Zwanan, Kandahar Knights, Nangarhar Leopards, and Paktia Panthers — contested the tournament, with Balkh Legends claiming the championship. Efforts to revive the tournament have repeatedly fallen short, including a postponement of the second edition after the ACB withdrew its sanction and terminated the commercial rights arrangement with Snixer Sports, citing outstanding fees that had not been paid in full.
APL chief executive Naseeb Khan indicated that the tournament would proceed on its original schedule despite two franchise spots remaining unfilled, a position the Afghanistan Cricket Board reinforced through its own published statement. Naseeb noted that the league's return after an extended absence had led the ACB to take a measured approach to identifying its commercial partner and franchisees, adding that the board and its commercial partner were in active dialogue with the relevant parties and intended to conclude the two outstanding franchise agreements at the earliest opportunity.
Commercial partners and franchisees hold a recognised place among the league's principal stakeholders, with their continued involvement anticipated over the long term. Naseeb stated that the aim was not to rush the filling of outstanding positions, but to bring in partners who could demonstrate financial standing, relevant experience, and credibility — qualities he described as necessary for the APL's long-term growth.
Naseeb indicated that the APL remains on course for a December launch, with five teams expected to participate and a player draft scheduled for the final week of October, adding in a statement that the competition's place on this year's calendar is not in doubt. A player draft set for the final week of October will precede the league's opening, which is scheduled for 27 December 2026.
Naseeb noted that approximately 1,500 players had enrolled on the platform, among them a number of internationally recognised competitors, while a dedicated committee was carrying out screening and assessment of those registrations against the approved criteria. Coaches from Afghanistan have been identified for the draft pool, with their formal presentation expected within the next few days. Coaching staff appointments and the naming of team captains would follow the same process, guided by the established criteria and the particular needs of each franchise entering the draft, Naseeb noted.
Naseeb expressed optimism about the prospect of English cricketers taking part in the APL, while acknowledging that those players had chosen not to feature in a bilateral series with Afghanistan over concerns about how women are treated under the country's governing authority. Questions about whether England's cricketers would be granted no-objection certificates were set against Naseeb's assurances that the Afghanistan Cricket Board held its ties with fellow governing bodies — the England and Wales Cricket Board among them — in high regard, and that the board remained oriented toward a cooperative and respectful working relationship, founded on the shared understanding that player movement across franchise competitions worldwide depended on boards working in concert, within the bounds of their own scheduling commitments and contractual arrangements.
The ACB noted that it had consistently enabled its players to take part in English leagues and competitions, and expressed a desire for that same collaborative approach to extend to the APL. Naseeb expressed hope that the shared commitment and cooperative spirit between the players and their respective boards would continue serving the broader interests of cricket's growth around the world.
