PKL 13 To Skip 2026, Likely To Return In June-July 2027 Amid Broadcast Deal Delay: Report

Pro Kabaddi League's 13th season will skip 2026 and is expected in the June-July 2027 window. The league still has no broadcast partner after its five-year media rights tie-up with Star India, now JioStar, ended when Season 12 finished in October 2025.

Negotiations for a fresh agreement have not produced a deal, Khel Now reported. That leaves the league facing a long pause while its television future and revenue model remain unsettled.

“There has not been much interest in the open market, and the new deal offered by the current broadcaster is half of the previous deal. So all parties have decided that we need more time, and we will not see PKL before June 2027,” a source close to the development told Khel Now. That deal ran from Season 8 through Season 12 and was valued at roughly ₹905 crore.

Owners Seek Guidance

PKL franchise owners have also gone to the Sports Ministry for guidance, following a similar route to Indian Super League (ISL) clubs earlier this year.

In May, ISL clubs wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Sports Ministry seeking a club-led structure after their commercial arrangement ended. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met the clubs in June and asked them and the AIFF to set up a task force and return with a commercial plan. The ISL has since begun its 2026-27 season under a club-led model.

Last Rights Deal

The previous rights sale also drew objections.

In 2021, Mashal Sports, which runs the league, opened a media-rights auction with a ₹900 crore floor for five seasons. Sony, Dream11 and Reliance were among the companies that picked up the tender document.

Star India was the lone bidder and secured the rights for about ₹905 crore, slightly above the floor, in the agreement that covered Seasons 8 to 12.

Several owners objected to the sale. They argued that Star India’s 74 per cent holding in Mashal Sports created a conflict of interest, and said the auction failed to show the rights’ real market value. Mashal Sports dismissed the charge then, calling it “baseless”.

League Built On Television

Anand Mahindra and Charu Sharma launched PKL in 2014, and Star Sports has carried the league since the debut season.

According to Star's figures, the inaugural season drew 435 million viewers. Only IPL 2014 did better, with 552 million viewers.

Star India later bought a 74 per cent stake in Mashal Sports, making it the league's majority owner. PKL is often described as India's second-most-watched league after the Indian Premier League.

Season 12 Finale

The latest season ended on October 31, 2025.

Dabang Delhi beat Puneri Paltan 31-28 in the final at Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi to win their second title. Fans are still waiting for news on Season 13, and there is no word on the player auction either.

The auction usually takes place a few months before the season. Last year, it was held on May 31 and June 1, and the season started on August 29. With only two months left in 2026, PKL 13 cannot happen this year.

India’s men and women both took gold at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in September, beating Iran in the finals. They then won the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad on October 31. The next media rights deal will shape where fans watch PKL and how far the league can expand in India and overseas.