The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is pressing ahead with the revival of the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), according to a report by Cricbuzz journalist Atif Azam, even though two of its five franchises still have no owner. Five parties have shown interest in the vacant spots, one from Afghanistan and the others from India and other markets, while three owners are already in place. The tournament is planned for the UAE, and the board has kept open the option of moving it elsewhere in future.
Draft timetable and player pool
Player recruitment is moving ahead of the franchise talks. ACB Chief Executive Naseeb Khan told Cricbuzz: “I would like to make it clear that the APL is firmly scheduled for this year with five teams. The player draft is scheduled for the last week of October, and the league will officially commence on 27 December 2026. The response from players has also been very encouraging, with around 1,500 players registered, including a number of top international players from around the world.”
Screening, coaches and captains
A dedicated committee is assessing the registered players against the approved criteria. The ACB has assigned a pool of Afghan coaches, who will be presented ahead of the draft in the coming days. Remaining coaching staff and team captains will be chosen on the same criteria and according to what each franchise needs.
The 2018 edition and failed revivals
The APL was first staged in 2018 with Balkh Legends, Kabul Zwanan, Kandahar Knights, Nangarhar Leopards and Paktia Panthers, and Balkh Legends won the title. Several attempts to bring the league back have since failed. A second edition was postponed after the ACB scrapped its sanction and commercial rights agreement with Snixer Sports over the non-payment of the full rights fees.
English players and the ECB
England have refused to play bilateral cricket against Afghanistan because of the Taliban government’s treatment of women, which has left doubt over whether English cricketers will take part in the APL. As previously reported by cricexec, English players were expected to receive No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) if the tournament obtained ICC sanction, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has since signalled that any requests will be considered carefully, and none has yet been received. The same reporting places the draft on October 24 and the competition’s run through to January 16.
Khan said the ACB highly values its relationships with fellow boards, the ECB included, and wants them to stay positive, respectful and cooperative. He believes the continued growth of cricket depends on that cooperation, particularly in helping players take part in franchise leagues, subject to each board’s policies, schedules and contractual considerations. He added: “ACB has always supported and facilitated the participation of our players in England, various leagues and competitions, and we look forward to the same spirit of cooperation for the APL. We are confident that this mutual understanding and support will continue to benefit the players, the respective boards and the long-term development of cricket globally.”
Ownership talks and the postponement question
Reports had suggested the APL could be delayed because of the difficulty in finding parties for the remaining franchises, and Khan has dismissed any possibility of postponement. He said: “The Afghanistan Cricket Board remains fully committed to delivering the APL as planned. As everyone is aware, the league is being revived after a considerable period, and we have therefore taken a careful and strategic approach to selecting our commercial partner and franchisees.”
The ACB and its commercial partner are in close communication with the interested parties and want the final two agreements finalised as soon as possible. Khan continued: “It is important to highlight that the commercial partners and franchisees are among the most important stakeholders of the league and are expected to remain involved for the long term. Therefore our priority is not simply to fill the remaining positions quickly, but to ensure that we select credible, financially capable and experienced partners who can contribute to the sustainable growth of the APL.”
The ACB’s next step is to complete the remaining two franchise agreements.
