PSL final outside Pakistan - (Source: X.com)
In a significant development, there are reports that the PCB is contemplating moving the PSL 2026 final outside Pakistan. The 11th edition of PSL is all set to overlap with IPL and start from March 26, and now the PCB has shortlisted three-four venues for the all-important final on May 10.
A report from Qadir Khawaja stated that the PSL final could be held in the UK, Dubai, or even the United States of America. “The final of PAKISTAN SUPER LEAGUE 11 is likely to be held outside Pakistan, with the UK or the USA as the possible venue,” tweeted Khawaja.
Notably, the idea of moving the PSL final outside Pakistan was discussed during PCB’s recent meeting with franchise owners, who thought that hosting the final in the UK or the USA would fetch a lot of brand value for the league.
PSL and its history of hosting matches outside Pakistan
For the unversed, PCB inaugurated PSL in 2015, and the first four editions of the tournament were held in the UAE. Notably, it was with the 2020 edition that the tournament entirely shifted to Pakistan. Therefore, it will not be the first time that PSL will head to the UAE in case the stakeholders fix on Dubai as the location for the PSL final.
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However, the USA and the UK will be a big move for PCB as they have never held a match in Europe or America. In fact, IPL too has had finals in South Africa and the UAE, but never in Europe, particularly England, which is currently the trending topic in Pakistan due to the Hundred auction.
PSL Making Efforts to Outshine IPL
There is no doubt that the IPL is the better and more valuable league than the PSL. It will be for the second time in a row that Pakistan’s premier T20 league will overlap with IPL. Therefore, the PCB is trying everything to put up a show at par with the BCCI.
In a first, the PCB added two more teams - Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Kingsmen, which makes it eight teams in the league, for the first time in history. The new teams will add more excitement and drama to the league, also increasing the number of games per year.
Also, this year, the PCB have contacted IPL-rejected players such as Glenn Maxwell, Moeen Ali, and a few other big names to add the lacking star-power in the league. In a nutshell, the Mohsin Naqvi-led board has made every effort to bring in the viewership and money to put up a fight with IPL.
The latest move to shift PSL 2026 final outside Pakistan is also a tactic to grab global eyeballs and an effort to do something new.
