Pakistan Super League may move to January 2027 to avoid clash with IPL

The Pakistan Super League could move into a new window next year, with January-February emerging as a possible slot after the tournament's media rights holder raised concerns over weak advertising and sponsorship revenues during its April-May clash with the Indian Premier League.

In Short

• April-May window saw limited sponsorship due to IPL overlap and security concerns
• Proposal to start PSL in Karachi, then move to Punjab and Peshawar to manage weather
• Media rights held by Walee Technologies till 2029, also owns Rawalpindiz franchise

Next year's Pakistan Super League could be held in January after the media rights holders of the T20 event complained about limited advertising revenues during the April-May window when IPL is held in India.

This year the PSL again clashed with the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the suggestion to hold the event early next year came at a meeting of the PSL Governing Council in London on September 1.

According to a reliable source, media rights holder Walee Technologies, who also own a franchise in the eight-team PSL tabled the proposal to have the PSL in January-February.

The PSL since its inception in 2016, has been held in the February-March window, but because of ICC events in this window in 2025 and this year, the PCB was forced to reschedule the league to April-May where it clashed with the IPL.

Franchise owners have also expressed concerns over declining interest in the PSL amid Pakistan's poor performances across formats.

The source aware of developments said that the media rights holders made it clear that the April-May window was not good for security advertising sponsorships due to different reasons.

Under the PSL's existing agreement with the franchises, the eight teams receive 95 per cent of the broadcast revenue from the central revenue pool.

The source said a proposal was also tabled at the meeting that the PSL start from Karachi, where winter conditions are comparatively moderate every early year, before moving to Punjab and Peshawar as the tournament progresses and weather conditions become less severe.

Pakistan currently has a clear international window from mid-November through March, with no home or away series scheduled during that period.

Walee Technologies holds the PSL's domestic broadcast and digital rights until 2029 and also holds the international media rights for the 2026 edition.

The company also owns Rawalpindiz, one of the two new franchises introduced when the league expanded from six to eight teams this year.

The Governing Council, comprising representatives of the PCB and owners of all eight franchises, also discussed the possibility of entering the esports market, which has been growing rapidly in Pakistan.

Entering esports could potentially help the league attract a younger and more diverse audience while creating additional commercial opportunities.

The council also discussed the possibility of staging a mid-year tournament under the existing rights agreement between the franchises and the broadcaster.

The proposal is understood to have been put forward by the PCB as a potential additional revenue stream for both the franchises and the broadcaster, while also helping maintain the PSL's visibility throughout the year.

- Ends