PCB confirms auction date for two new PSL teams

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday confirmed the date for the much-anticipated auction for the two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises, which will be part of season 11 in 2026.

The cricket board announced that the auction will be held on 6 January 2026, marking a major step in the league’s expansion roadmap.

In an official statement, the board termed the upcoming auction a “significant milestone” in the PSL’s evolution, emphasising that the addition of two new teams will open fresh commercial avenues while deepening fan engagement across the country.

The PCB reiterated that only technically qualified bidders will be invited to the auction, and the successful bidders will then be granted the right to choose their preferred city/team name from the pool of shortlisted locations.

The six cities currently under consideration are Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.

Highlighting the league’s growing stature globally, the PCB noted: “The HBL PSL, now recognised as one of the premier T20 leagues, continues to grow in commercial strength, fan following and overall impact. We look forward to welcoming new stakeholders to the PSL ecosystem.”

Thursday’s announcement also comes on the heels of recent confusion triggered by social media reports claiming that the two new team names had already been finalised.

Rumours had suggested that Faisalabad and Gilgit were the frontrunners.

However, the PCB dismissed those claims, clarifying once again that franchise names will only be determined after the auction and strictly in accordance with the procedure outlined in the official bid documents.