The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to expand the Pakistan Super League by adding two new franchises ahead of the 2026 edition. According to the Pakistan Board’s valuation for the next phase of the tournament, each new team will come with a reserve price of 1.3 billion Pakistani rupees (approximately Rs 41 crore) per year.
The PCB has shortlisted six cities – Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Hyderabad, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit – for two new Pakistan Super League franchises. Two of these places will be finalized by January. The final auction for the two new teams in the T20 tournament is scheduled to take place on January 8.
Strong interest in new PSL franchise after PCB reviews bids
According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board has received keen interest in its plan to add two new teams to the Pakistan Super League. A total of 12 groups have submitted preliminary bid documents, including five from abroad, highlighting the growing foreign interest in the league.
The PCB has not yet announced the final list of bidders. Before doing so, it will conduct financial and technical checks to ensure that all interested parties meet the required standards.
Earlier this month, the PCB had organized PSL roadshows in London and New York to attract international investors. The board has also offered strong financial guarantees to make new franchises more attractive as it looks to expand the league.
PCB guarantees annual revenue of Rs 850 million for each PSL franchise
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a financial scheme to support the teams. Each franchise will be guaranteed a minimum of Rs 850 million every season from the league’s central revenue pool for the next five years. If a team earns less than this amount in a season, the PCB will pay the difference.
Currently, there are six teams in the PSL, and each has to pay a different annual franchise fee. Quetta Gladiators is valued at Rs 360 million, while Multan Sultans is valued at the highest at Rs 1.8 billion. Other teams, such as Lahore Qalandars, Karachi Kings, Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi, fall in between these figures.
Once the league expands to eight teams, all franchises will get an equal share from the central revenue pool. The PCB has also allowed each franchise to spend up to US$1.4 million on players through the PSL draft. This will help the teams to build stronger teams and increase competition in the league.
Former owners of Multan Sultans re-enter PSL franchise bidding process
The ownership situation around the Multan Sultans has taken a new turn. According to reports, the former owners of the franchise have entered the bidding process to buy one of the two new PSL teams. He relinquished control of Multan Sultans after disagreements with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Despite their return to the bidding process, there is still no clear answer on who will own Multan Sultans next season. The uncertainty has raised questions ahead of the upcoming PSL edition.
There is speculation that the PCB may run Multan Sultans itself for the next season. The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League is scheduled to begin on March 26 next year and a final decision on the ownership is expected to be taken before then.
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