The 69th edition of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will begin on November 3, with 20 teams set to compete in Pakistan’s premier first-class cricket tournament during the 2026-27 domestic season.
The competition will feature an eight-team Gold tier and a 12-team Silver tier. Defending champions Karachi Blues will return to defend their title in the Gold competition, which will be staged across Islamabad, Abbottabad and Rawalpindi.
The Gold-tier matches will continue until December 12, with the final scheduled for December 15 to 19. A total of 29 first-class matches will be played in this category.
The Silver competition will run from November 3 to 30, followed by a five-day final from December 3 to 7. It will comprise 31 first-class matches and provide teams with an opportunity to qualify for the Gold tier next season.
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2026-27 Teams and Groups
The Gold tier will include eight teams: Karachi Blues, Faisalabad, FATA, Lahore Whites, Islamabad, Peshawar, Multan and Sialkot Blue.
The 12 silver-tier teams have been divided into two groups.
Group A
Lahore Blues
Rawalpindi
Larkana
Quetta
Bahawalpur
Peshawar Whites
Group B
Karachi Whites
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Hyderabad
Dera Murad Jamali
Abbottabad
Sialkot Whites
Group A matches will be held at KCCA Stadium, SBP and UBL Sports Complexes in Karachi. Group B fixtures will take place at Multan Cricket Stadium, Sports Complex Rahim Yar Khan and Dring Stadium in Bahawalpur.
Also read: Pakistan Squad for Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026
The winners of the two groups will meet in the silver final, with promotion to the gold tier for the following season at stake.
Babar Azam to Face Shaheen Afridi in Opening Round
The opening round will feature a high-profile contest between Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Babar will represent Lahore Whites, while Shaheen will lead FATA. The two sides are scheduled to meet at Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad.
The fixture will bring two of Pakistan’s leading international cricketers into opposition in the domestic first-class competition, adding considerable interest to the tournament’s opening round.
Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2026-27 Live Streaming
Fans will be able to watch selected matches through Tamasha and tapmad.
All four Gold-tier matches in each round will be streamed live on both platforms. In the Silver competition, four of the six matches in each round will also be available for live streaming.
The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy remains a key competition in Pakistan’s domestic cricket calendar. It provides established players with an opportunity to maintain their red-ball form while allowing emerging cricketers to demonstrate their ability in first-class cricket.
