The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday opened the direct signing window for the 12th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with the tournament scheduled to run from March 18 to May 2, 2027.
The PCB said the 46-day competition would feature 44 matches, including 40 league games and four playoff fixtures, across five to six venues, marking an expansion of the country’s premier Twenty20 franchise tournament.
Franchises can directly sign one marquee player who did not feature in either of the previous two editions, PSL 10 and PSL 11. The window will remain open until November 23, the board said.
The player auction is scheduled for January 23, 2027, while the tournament’s opening match will take place on March 18. The final is set for Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on May 2.
The PCB said a franchise workshop would be held next week to discuss player-retention deadlines, the pre-auction trading window, auction rules and playing conditions.
The board has also aligned its domestic competition calendar with the PSL pre-season schedule, with the National T20 Gold and National T20 Silver tournaments set to serve as key platforms for identifying talent ahead of the auction.
The initiative is intended to provide standout domestic performers with a pathway into the PSL and potentially the national team, the PCB said.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the upcoming edition would build on the league’s momentum and provide greater opportunities for cities across Pakistan to host matches.
“The roadmap we have finalised and are partially announcing today gives every stakeholder, from franchises and players to commercial partners and broadcasters, the certainty to plan at the highest level,” Naqvi said.
PSL Chief Executive Salman Naseer said the expansion to five or six venues would bring the competition closer to fans in more cities.
The direct-signing window marks the start of preparations for franchises as they assemble their squads for the 2027 season, with player signings, trades and retention decisions expected to shape the teams ahead of the January auction.