Moeen, Hales Lead England Contingent for APL 2026
Eight English players, led by Moeen Ali and Alex Hales, signed at the APL draft in Dubai — but their places depend on an ICC sanction the league is waiting for.
APL 2026 news
Dated, sourced reporting on the Afghanistan Premier League. Every article lists the sources it was checked against.
APL top story
Shankar, Bharat and Ashwin Register for APL Draft
Vijay Shankar, KS Bharat and Murugan Ashwin registered for the APL 2026 draft, but none of the three former India players was picked among the 90 selections.
Wasim Akram Turns Down APL Mentorship Offer
Wasim Akram has turned down a mentor role in the Afghanistan Premier League, choosing not to go against PCB policy as the league's 27 December start approaches.
APL 2026 Mentors, Coaches and Captains Announced
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has confirmed a captain, head coach and mentor for each of the five APL franchises, with Rashid Khan leading Kandahar Warriors.
Irfan Pathan Distances Himself From Amir Pick
Irfan Pathan says drafting Mohammad Amir was not his call, pointing to Rashid Khan and Ravi Bopara as Kandahar Warriors build around their Platinum first pick.
PCB Refuses NOCs for Pakistani Players in APL 2026
The PCB will not issue NOCs to Pakistani players for APL 2026, shutting out 30+ registered players — while Mohammad Amir, as a British citizen, stays in.
APL Format Explained: 24 Matches, Playoffs & Points
Twenty league games, then a knockout. The 2018 version used semi-finals. The 2026 version is not a photocopy.
What Is the Afghanistan Premier League? APL Explained
Five city teams, a December start in the UAE, and one finished season back in 2018. The rest is still being written.
ACB and ITW MEA Sign 10-Edition APL Partnership
A year-long tender, a 10-edition agreement and a joint council that chooses venues. The business side of the revival.
ACB Opens Franchise Acquisition for APL T20 2026
The ACB opened the franchise acquisition process for APL T20 2026 on 12 May 2026, inviting proposals for five franchises across Kabul, Kandahar, Balkh, Paktia and Nangarhar.
APL T20 Grand Launch Set for 20 December in Dubai
The ACB announced the Afghanistan Premier League T20 will launch in Dubai on 20 December 2025, unveiling the league's window, structure, brand and commercial roadmap.
APL T20 Launched in Dubai: Identity, Roadmap and Five Teams Unveiled
The Afghanistan Premier League T20 launched in Dubai on 20 December 2025, unveiling its identity, a 10-year roadmap and a five-team model for the inaugural season.
APL 2026 Start Date: 27 December in the UAE, Key Facts
The date and the country are fixed. The grounds, the fixture list and the broadcasters are not.
APL 2026 Squads Confirmed: All Five 19-Player Teams
Rashid has Amir and Nabi. Zadran has Moeen. Gurbaz has Hasaranga and Noor. A team-by-team read of the official lists.
APL 2026 Draft Results: Amir First Pick, 90 Players Picked
Ninety players, 18 rounds, six categories. Kandahar Warriors opened with Muhammad Amir; Nangarhar Cosmic opened Silver and Emerging.
ACB and ITW MEA Sign 10-Edition APL Partnership
A year-long tender, a 10-edition agreement and a joint council that chooses venues. The business side of the revival.
What Is the Afghanistan Premier League? APL Explained
Five city teams, a December start in the UAE, and one finished season back in 2018. The rest is still being written.
APL Format Explained: 24 Matches, Playoffs & Points
Twenty league games, then a knockout. The 2018 version used semi-finals. The 2026 version is not a photocopy.
APL 2026 Teams: Five Franchises, Captains & Coaches
Same cities as 2018, different clubs. Here is who actually leads each 2026 side.
APL Draft Order & Captaincy Swap: Gurbaz to Paktia
Eighteen rounds, ninety picks, and a captaincy swap announced the same day as the draft.
APL 2026 Preview: What Must Be Published Before 27 Dec
The useful preview is a checklist. Match 1 does not have two teams on it yet.
APL 2026 Captains: Rashid, Omarzai, Zadran & More
The armbands are settled. The XIs around them are not. That is the actual story.
APL 2026 Venues: UAE Hosts, Grounds Not Yet Named
The 2018 season lived at one ground. The 2026 season has a country, not yet a street address.
APL 2018 Records: Shahzad 344, Zazai 124, Qais 5/18
Until December there is only one record book, and it is short enough to memorise.
APL Fantasy Strategy: Lessons From the 2018 Season
No lock of the week. A way of thinking about a tournament that has not started, plus the one that finished in Sharjah.
Why the APL Matters for Afghan Cricket
The point is not to out-IPL the IPL. The point is a season that Afghan cricketers do not have to leave the sport's own structure to find.
APL vs IPL, PSL & ILT20: How Afghanistan's League Compares
Smaller on purpose. The interesting comparison is the draft, not the budget.
APL 2018 Final: Balkh Legends Beat Kabul Zwanan
A small total, a leg-spinner's spell, and a chase that did not need heroics from anyone except Gayle and Qais.
Official APL announcements
Every story on the official APL site, in order, with its official link. The first three are already covered above in our own reporting; the rest are listed here as official announcements, not rewritten as our articles.
- — APL Draft 2026 Concludes with Players Signed Across Five Franchises, Setting Stage for Season Opener (covered here: APL draft results)
- — APL 2026 Draft: Pick Order Confirmed for Inaugural Season (covered here: Draft order is set, and two captains changed rooms)
- — APL Leaders Draft Confirms Captains & Coaches for 2026 Season (covered here: Five captains, five different jobs)
- — APL Registration Window Extended to October 5, 2026
- — Player Registrations Underway for the Inaugural Afghanistan Premier League Season
- — APL Unveils Inaugural Franchises, Logos, and Trophy in Dubai
- — Franchise Acquisition Announcement
- — ACB Unveils Bold New Identity for Afghanistan Premier League
- — Afghanistan Premier League Launched in Dubai, Marking New Era for Afghan Cricket
- — Grand Launch Event & Logo Unveiling Set for December 20, 2025, in Dubai
- — ACB Signs Long-Term Commercial Partnership with ACG Sports for Afghanistan Premier League (APL)
Last updated 1 November 2026, 16:20 GST