Afghanistan Premier League Set To Relaunch With Five Teams

Afghanistan Premier League is set for a relaunch soon with five teams on board.

After a six-year absence, the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) is making a comeback. The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced that a revamped five-team franchise T20 tournament will launch in October 2026. The event is scheduled to be hosted in the United Arab Emirates, marking a fresh start for the league.

This new edition follows a single, star-studded season held in 2018, which was later discontinued. The board aims to create a more structured and sustainable tournament this time, providing a crucial platform for Afghan cricketers to gain high-level experience alongside international stars.

“The inaugural season will feature five city-based franchises, bringing together Afghanistan’s leading national players alongside prominent overseas professionals and emerging local talent,” the ACB said in a press release.

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ACB Encourages Cricket’s Growth In The Country

At the league’s launch in Dubai, ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf emphasized its importance for the sport’s growth in the country.

“The Afghanistan Premier League represents a meaningful step forward in our cricketing journey. It creates new opportunities for our players, inspires the next generation, and allows Afghanistan cricket to be showcased on a global platform. We see the APL as an important contributor to the growth and unity of the game, both domestically and internationally,” said Ashraf.

The ACB has partnered with sports management company Cricket Venture to operate the league. The next steps include finalizing team names, securing commercial partners, and organizing a player draft expected around mid-2026. Afghanistan’s existing domestic T20 competition, the Shpageeza Cricket League, will continue to run separately