The Pakistan Super League is all set to add two new franchises for which the reserve price for each will be in excess of Rs 1.25 billion. Interest from local and international companies, including those in the real estate and solar energy businesses, has already been received for the bidding process.

According to sources, the final decision on the new franchises will be made in January 2026. The PSL management has already issued initial tenders inviting both domestic and foreign investors to submit their technical and financial proposals. As per reports, five major Pakistani companies have shown interest, while two US-based business persons, as well as bidders from the United Kingdom and another European country, will also take part.

Technical proposals should be submitted by December 15. Only shortlisted bidders will move to the next round, according to sources.

Notwithstanding the development, the owner of Multan Sultans, Ali Tareen, has reportedly made his intent known publicly to pull out of the league. The PCB is yet to issue an official statement, but reports seem to indicate that some backroom political and business negotiations are taking place, and if Tareen does a U-turn on his earlier stand, things could settle down.

The current franchise fee paid by the owners of Multan Sultans annually is Rs 108 crore, which may go up by 25 percent to Rs 130 crore in the new arrangement. According to an observer, this hike could be one of the reasons for the latest decision by the team owner. It is not yet clear whether existing franchise owners will be allowed to take part in the re-bidding process.

One of the notable bidders is a group of companies whose name starts with “T,” which shows a strong potential competition. The bids, as expected, will be put under careful scrutiny by PSL officials to ensure transparency and continued growth of the league.

The inclusion of new franchises is part of the PSL’s strategy to expand its commercial footprint, with the purpose of attracting domestic and international investment into the premier T20 cricket league of Pakistan.

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