Afghanistan Premier League Aims A Fresh Start In 2026, Set To Return With Five Teams

The Afghanistan Cricket Board has re-launched the Afghanistan Premier League, which is expected to take place next year. APL, which was last played in 2018, is set to return in a brand new fashion and five teams will take part in the tournament.

Afghanistan Premier League To Relaunch In 2026

Franchise tournaments are being organised in a very enthusiastic fashion across the world, and the likes of IPL and BBL have been very successful. The Afghanistan Premier League had attracted some big names with the likes of Chris Gayle and Brendon MacCullum but the league got disbanded due to payment-related issues and other problems.

If all things fall into place, APL is likely to start in October 2026 in the UAE, while the draft system will take place around June-July. A press release from the Afghanistan Cricket Board stated, “The inaugural season will feature five city-based franchises, bringing together Afghanistan's leading national players alongside prominent overseas professionals and emerging local talent.”

Afghan players are very common names in the T20 circuit, and players like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb ur Rahman have been involved in franchise cricket over the last few years. The launch ceremony was celebrated in Dubai on Saturday and Rashid Khan, Hasmat Shahidi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were also present on the occasion.

Mirwais Ashraf, the ACB chairman, said at the event, “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."

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APL could infuse more competition and financial guarantee into Afghanistan cricket.

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