The new owners of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are now being strongly tipped to enter Pakistan’s biggest sporting property, with the Arif Habib Group emerging as a leading contender to buy one of the two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises for PSL 11 in 2026.
The group, which recently completed the landmark Rs. 135 billion acquisition of PIA, is understood to be among the most serious bidders in the ongoing process for league expansion.
Industry sources suggest that Inverex and the Arif Habib Group are currently the most likely to secure the two available teams as the PSL moves from six to eight franchises.
PCB Flooded with Interest for Two New Franchises
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that it received an “exceptional and encouraging” response to its tender for the sale of two new teams, with 12 parties filing bids before the final deadline.
The submission window itself had to be extended multiple times, first from December 15 to 22, and then to December 24, as interest grew, particularly after promotional roadshows held in London and New York attracted investors from Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
The move to eight teams from the 2026 season will be the PSL’s first major restructuring since Multan Sultans joined in 2018, expanding the tournament from five to six teams.
According to the PCB, the latest bidders come from five countries: the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan. Alongside Inverex and the Arif Habib Group, the pool also includes telecom operators, real estate players, and consortia backed by US‑based Pakistani businessmen.
The PCB is set to announce the outcome of the initial screening phase on December 27, after evaluating which bidders meet the required technical and financial benchmarks.
Those who qualify will advance to an open competition bidding round, where the final franchise fees will be determined and the two new owners formally confirmed.
The successful bidders will then choose their teams from a shortlist of cities that includes:
- Hyderabad
- Rawalpindi
- Faisalabad
- Gilgit
- Muzaffarabad
- Sialkot
