PCB extends PSL expansion bid deadline to December 24

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again extended the deadline for submitting bids for two new franchises as it plans to expand the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to an eight-team competition from the 2026 season. The original deadline of December 15 was first moved to December 22 and has now been pushed further to December 24 for the final submission of bids.

Earlier, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had stated that the extension was granted due to increased interest from potential investors based in the USA, Europe, and the Middle East. According to a report by Geo Super, the latest extension of two additional days has been allowed because of bank holidays falling over the weekend during the revised bidding window.

“The last date for submitting initial bids is now extended by two days,” a source said as quoted by Times of India.

“Witnessing growing interest from Europe, the USA, the Middle East and beyond in acquiring new HBL PSL teams, we have decided to extend the bid submission deadline by one week to 22 December 2025,” Naqvi said during the PSL roadshow.

The player auction for PSL 11 is scheduled to take place on January 8. It had already been delayed by a day when PCB chairman first extended the franchise bid deadline, and it remains unclear whether the auction date will be pushed further following the latest extension for bid submissions.

This marks the second expansion of the league since its inception in 2016, when the PSL began as a five-team tournament. The previous expansion came in 2018, with the addition of a sixth team. Along with plans to introduce two new franchises, the PCB has also renewed contracts with five of the six existing franchise owners.

Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the future of Multan Sultans after former owner Ali Tareen stepped down following differences with the board. Unofficially, the PCB is considering managing the franchise itself for the upcoming season before re-tendering the ownership rights on a nine-year term ahead of PSL 12.