PSL 2026 to start without crowds amid Middle East crisis
The Pakistan Super League will proceed without spectators following a directive linked to the country’s ongoing fuel crisis. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the tournament would continue as scheduled but behind closed doors, after a request from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to restrict public movement.
“The [Pakistan] Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] has requested restricted movements of people because of the fuel crisis so we have decided that the PSL (Pakistan Super League) would continue as per the original schedule but without crowds,” Naqvi said. “All PSL matches will now take place in Lahore and Karachi and we hope the league could be held with crowds but that would be contingent on the crisis in Iran ending.”
The decision results in Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi and Peshawar missing out on hosting matches this season. In addition, the opening ceremony scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled.
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Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, noted that the PCB would compensate franchises for the loss of revenue caused by the absence of spectators. The board maintains that the priority is ensuring public safety and managing the logistical challenges posed by the national fuel shortage.
PSL 2026 takes place between 26th March and 3rd May.
