The Afghanistan Cricket Board has announced the return of the Afghanistan Premier League T20, with the revived tournament scheduled for October 2026 in the UAE.
The league will feature five franchises and is being pitched as a fresh start after the failed first edition in 2018. An international player draft is expected to take place around June or July 2026.
This will be the second attempt at running the Afghanistan Premier League. The tournament was held once in 2018 with five teams and big overseas names like Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Shahid Afridi.
That edition was later scrapped due to payment delays, governance issues and integrity concerns, which hurt the league’s credibility and stalled future seasons.
ACB has now tied up with Cricket Venture, a joint venture between Trans Group and ITW Universe, to manage and operate the new league. The board says stronger administration and financial safeguards are in place this time.
In an official release, ACB said the opening season will include five city-based franchises and bring together Afghanistan’s national players, overseas professionals and emerging local talent.
ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf said the league is an important step for Afghan cricket and its players. He added that the APL will create new opportunities, inspire young cricketers and help showcase Afghanistan cricket on a global stage.
The board also confirmed that work will soon begin on finalising franchise identities, securing commercial partners and completing the player auction or draft process.
The UAE has once again been chosen as the host venue, providing a neutral and stable base for the tournament, with Afghanistan continuing to face challenges hosting international events at home.
ACB clarified that Afghanistan’s domestic Shpageeza Cricket League will continue separately and will be played in its usual July–August window.
With a clearer structure and external management support, the revived Afghanistan Premier League aims to grow into a stable franchise T20 competition and give Afghan players regular exposure alongside overseas stars.