The Pakistan Super League has expanded from six to eight teams for its 11th season scheduled from March to May 2026. This historic expansion was confirmed through a high profile franchise auction held in Islamabad where two new teams were sold at record prices. The expansion aims to bring new regional representation and commercial growth to the league.
Hyderabad Franchise
The Hyderabad PSL team was acquired by FKS Group a US based aviation and healthcare conglomerate. The franchise was sold for PKR 1.75 billion approximately USD 6.2 million making it one of the highest priced franchises in PSL history. Hyderabad will now have its own team giving the city professional T20 cricket representation for the first time. The auction for this team was competitive with multiple companies participating before FKS Group secured the final bid.
Sialkot Franchise
The Sialkot franchise was acquired by OZ Developers a well established real estate and infrastructure company. OZ Developers won the team with a bid of PKR 1.85 billion approximately USD 6.55 million making it the most expensive new franchise in PSL history. Sialkot now joins the league as the eighth team enhancing the PSLs reach in northern Punjab and adding to the competitive nature of the league.
Auction Summary and Key Points
The auction was held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad and included 10 qualified bidders from various industries. The base prices were set at PKR 1.1 billion for the first franchise and PKR 1.7 billion for the second reflecting the PCB’s confidence in the commercial value of the PSL. The successful bids were PKR 1.75 billion for Hyderabad FKS Group and PKR 1.85 billion for Sialkot OZ Developers. This marks the first multi team expansion since the Multan Sultans joined the league.
Significance and Impact
The addition of Hyderabad and Sialkot brings new regional representation and strengthens the leagues commercial appeal across Pakistan. These high value bids demonstrate growing investor confidence in the PSL as a professional T20 league. With eight teams now confirmed PSL 2026 is expected to be more competitive attract local and international audiences and continue the leagues growth as a major sporting and entertainment event in Pakistan.
