PSL set to expand with two new teams from next edition

The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), set to be played in 2026, may feature eight teams, according to tournament CEO Salman Naseer.

The first edition of the league was staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2016 due to security concerns, but it is staged in Pakistan, where it vows to strengthen its commercial appeal and competitiveness.

In the inaugural edition, PSL featured five teams – Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators – before being expanded to six sides with the inclusion of Multan Sultans in 2018.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has also stated that PSL 10 will be the last featuring six teams. Two more teams would be added in 2026.

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The CEO of PSL announced that the league will expand by adding two more teams by the end of this year.

“By the end of this year, we might get two more teams,” Naseer told local media on Thursday.

“We started at a time when no cricket was happening in Pakistan. The challenge was to bring it back.”

“Now that we’ve successfully brought cricket back to traditional centres, the next step is expanding beyond these four cities (Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan),” he said.

Salman Naseer also mentioned that adding two more teams would be an interesting challenge, highlighting the potential for a larger tournament window.

“This year will be an interesting test, and with more teams, we anticipate a bigger window,” Naseer added.

“Some of our rights are up for valuation after this PSL. A lot will depend on the data we gather,” he concluded.

Notably, the January-February window of the Pakistan Super League now faces strong competition from South Africa’s (SA T20) and the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20).

Additionally, its value will be influenced by post-season data as broadcasting rights are auctioned.

Read: PCB announces schedule of PSL 10 trophy tour