Franchise race narrows ahead of 2026 BPL
The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) has moved one step closer to finalizing its franchise roster for the upcoming 2026 season. On Thursday, October 30, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) invited eight out of the eleven interested companies for discussions, as the remaining were were dropped due to documentation shortcomings in the Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Reports indicate that the 2026 edition will feature six teams.
Documentation shortfalls lead to elimination
Iftekhar Rahman Mithu, member secretary of the BPL Governing Council, addressed the media on November 2 to confirm the update and outlined the basis for the disqualifications.
“From 11, the number has been brought down to 8. Our chartered accountancy firm… the thing is, many documents were required in the Expression of Interest (EOI) process. These three companies failed to qualify due to shortcomings in their documentation. After the initial scrutiny and evaluation, the BPL Governing Council’s legal department, consultancy firm, and chartered accountancy firm reviewed the submissions of all 11 EOI participants,” said Mithu.
The disqualified companies include SQ Sports Enterprise — formerly associated with the Chittagong Kings — Bangla Mark Limited, which had submitted interest in a Noakhali-based team, and the Mind Tree & Ruposhi Concrete Limited Consortium, which had ties to the Khulna Tigers franchise.
“Three companies failed to meet the requirements in the process — SQ Sports Enterprise, Bangla Mark Limited and Mind Tree & Ruposhi Concrete Limited Consortium. Once the final evaluation report conducted by the legal department, consultancy firm, and chartered accountancy firm is completed, the final list of qualified EOI participants will be officially announced on the 4th,” Mithu added.
SQ Sports dropped despite court action
The Chittagong Kings franchise, owned by SQ Sports Enterprise, had previously obtained a High Court injunction in an effort to maintain its position in the league. However, the BCB countered with a civil petition and successfully secured a stay order.
“You know they defaulted, and due to their payment default, they were terminated,” Mithu clarified, shedding light on the reason behind SQ Sports’ exclusion.
Remaining contenders in line for 2026
With three parties removed, eight contenders are now in the running for six franchise slots. Rangpur Riders are expected to retain their place, while Triangle Services Limited is eyeing the Chattogram franchise. Dhaka may see new ownership under Champion Sports Limited, and SS Group remains interested in Comilla.
Elsewhere, both Nabil Group and Desh Travels have submitted proposals for Rajshahi, Akashbari Holidays has applied for Barishal, and JM Sports Entertainment has entered the race for Sylhet.
The BCB is expected to confirm the final list of approved franchises following the release of its comprehensive evaluation report.
