Season opener
Season opener · Sunday, 27 December 2026
APL 2026-27 — first ball
Afghanistan Premier League, Match 1 · 5:30 PM AFT (5:00 PM Dubai time) · UAE — ground to be announced
The opening match teams and the ground have not been announced yet. The full fixture list will appear here once the Afghanistan Cricket Board publishes it.
APL 2026-27 points table
The season has not started yet, so there is no points table for 2026-27. The table will appear here after the first match on 27 December, and will be updated after every match day. A win is worth 2 points.
APL 2026-27 schedule
The season runs from 27 December 2026 into January 2027, with 24 matches advertised. The full fixture list has not been published yet — no match dates, times or grounds beyond the first ball are confirmed, and no predicted schedule is shown here. Fixtures will be added to this page as soon as they are announced.
| Stage | Dates | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| League stage (double round-robin) | From 27 December 2026 | 20 |
| Playoffs | January 2027 | 3 |
| Final | Wednesday 20 January 2027 | 1 |
The five teams
Captain: Azmatullah Omarzai · Coach: Shane McDermott
Captain: Ibrahim Zadran · Coach: Mickey Arthur
Captain: Rashid Khan · Coach: Ravi Bopara · First Platinum pick: Muhammad Amir
Captain: Rahmat Shah · Coach: Toby Radford
Captain: Rahmanullah Gurbaz · Coach: Azhar Mahmood
Each squad has 19 players, picked at the draft in Dubai on 3 November 2026 — 90 players in 18 rounds, plus the five Afghan Icon captains.
The last APL season — 2018
The only completed APL season so far was played in Sharjah from 5 to 21 October 2018. Balkh Legends won the final, beating Kabul Zwanan by 4 wickets (Kabul Zwanan 132/9, Balkh Legends 138/6). The 2026-27 clubs are new — they do not inherit the 2018 titles.
Where to watch the APL
Watch the Afghanistan Premier League only through its official broadcasters. SialTV never links to pirated streams.
No broadcaster or streaming partner has been announced yet for 2026-27. The official list will be added here once the league announces it.
Frequently asked questions
When does APL 2026-27 start?
The first ball is on Sunday 27 December 2026 at 5:30 PM Afghanistan time (5:00 PM Dubai time), in the UAE. The season runs into January 2027, with the final on Wednesday 20 January 2027.
How many teams play in the APL?
Five teams: Akcel United Kabul, Balkh Zwanan, Kandahar Warriors, Nangarhar Cosmic and Paktia. Each team plays a double round-robin, and the top four reach the playoffs.
Why is there no full fixture list yet?
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has not published the full fixture list. Only the first ball is confirmed. Predicted schedules circulating online are not official and are not shown on this page.
Who are the captains?
Azmatullah Omarzai (Kabul), Ibrahim Zadran (Balkh Zwanan), Rashid Khan (Kandahar Warriors), Rahmat Shah (Nangarhar Cosmic) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Paktia). The five captains are also the Afghan Icon players.
Where can I see the full APL schedule and every squad?
On SialTV — this page has every confirmed fixture, the five squads, and the season dates. The full fixture list will be added here as soon as the ACB publishes it.