What Islamabad United does

Islamabad United is a professional cricket franchise competing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), founded in 2015 for the league's inaugural season and privately owned by AAN-Leonine Sports (Leonine Global Sports). The franchise represents Pakistan's capital city and is the most decorated in PSL history with three championship titles (Seasons 1, 3, and 9) and the highest cumulative win percentage in the league. Headquartered in Islamabad with operational presence in Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium) and Karachi (National Bank Stadium) through PSL match venues, the franchise serves domestic Pakistani cricket fans and the international Pakistani diaspora, while operating a digital ecosystem with 5.5M+ combined social media followers.

The franchise's product portfolio combines traditional cricket merchandise—home jerseys (Red Hot – Original), away jerseys, training kits, and customized apparel sold via store.isbunited.com—with a Web3 fan engagement stack. The latter includes U-Meta Stadium, a 6-acre built-to-scale digital cricket stadium in Decentraland (the first of its kind in world cricket), blockchain-based digital collectible cards minted on Polygon (Sheru Army Red Collection), and a Gamifly-powered membership program. Additional technology initiatives include data-driven cricket analytics adopted under the #DimaghSe initiative and the #UnitedWeTech startup innovation platform run with P@SHA via The Nest I/O.

Revenue is generated across five primary streams: franchise sponsorship and branding (title sponsors, kit placements, official partners across food, beverage, energy, telecom, crypto, and media categories), merchandise sales, matchday and ticketing revenue, PSL media and broadcast rights distributions, and digital collectibles/Web3 revenue from NFT primary sales and secondary royalties. Go-to-market is event-driven, anchored on PSL match attendance and amplified through social media dominance, sponsor activations, digital platforms, and CSR partnerships including education (The Citizens Foundation, 250,000+ students) and environmental initiatives (WWF-Pakistan).

Name

Islamabad United

Legal name

Islamabad United

Website

https://isbunited.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Islamabad United is the most successful franchise in Pakistan Super League history with three championship titles. Owned by AAN-Leonine Sports, it operates a cricket entertainment platform spanning merchandise, blockchain collectibles, metaverse experiences, and multi-tier sponsorship serving Pakistani fans and enterprise brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Franchise

NAICS

Spectator Sports (7112), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Sporting Goods Retailers (459110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Cricket Leagues (MPAKAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports Matches (Club & National) (MPAGAMAB), Sports & Event Media Rights Licensing (MPADALAE), Sports Media Relations & Rights Support Services (Press Ops, Rights Packaging Support) (MPAKAKAN)

Keywords

• Professional cricket franchise
• League sports entertainment
• Fan merchandise retail
• Blockchain fan engagement
• Corporate sports sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Islamabad

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Matchday & Ticketing Revenue: PSL match attendance, playoff matches, and qualifier events at Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore) and National Bank Stadium (Karachi) generate ticket revenue from domestic and international fans.
2. Franchise Sponsorship & Branding: Title sponsors, kit branding, official partners, back-of-shirt jersey placements, and stadium branding across multiple categories (food, beverage, energy, cable, battery, telecom, crypto, media, nutrition, fintech).
3. Merchandise Sales: Official online merchandise store (store.isbunited.com) selling home jerseys (Red Hot – Original), away jerseys, training kits, tees, and customized apparel to fans domestically and internationally.
4. Media & Broadcast Rights: PSL media rights deals covering domestic Pakistan and international broadcast across multiple regions, with franchise benefitting from league-wide media revenue distribution.
5. Digital Collectibles & Web3 Revenue: Digital collectible card drops (NFTs) on Polygon blockchain, generating revenue through primary sales and secondary market royalties, with perks for holders including U-Meta Stadium access.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Islamabad United is a professional T20 cricket franchise competing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). It sells matchday experiences at PSL venues, official fan merchandise (jerseys, training kits, tees) through its online store, sponsorship assets (title, kit, and official partner slots) to corporate brands, and digital fan-engagement products including Polygon-based NFT collectibles and a metaverse stadium built in Decentraland.

Product overview

Islamabad United is a professional cricket franchise and the most successful team in Pakistan Super League history with three championship titles (PSL seasons 1, 3, and 9). The franchise operates a digital ecosystem comprising: the official merchandise store for team apparel, a Gamifly-powered membership program for enhanced fan engagement, Binance-partnered blockchain education initiatives, the U-Meta Stadium metaverse platform built on Decentraland, and Sheru Army Red Collection digital collectibles minted on Polygon blockchain. This portfolio of products ranges from core merchandise offerings to innovative Web3 and metaverse experiences designed to deepen fan connection with the team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Official Merchandise Store

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 PSL championship titles — the most by any franchise in HBL PSL history
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Fast CablescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 March 2026Official Power Partners for the eighth consecutive season since PSL 3. Fast Cables, Pakistan's leading electrical cable manufacturer, sponsors Islamabad United across multiple seasons, making it the longest-running franchise sponsor in PSL history.
• BinancecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2026Islamabad United's Official Crypto Exchange Partner for a second consecutive year (PSL 11, 2026). Binance serves as the franchise's blockchain education and digital asset partner, featuring back-of-shirt jersey placement and driving fan engagement through crypto/blockchain campaigns including the $25,000 Powerplay Challenge.
• Mezan Group (Mezan Cooking Oil)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 April 2025Official Title Sponsor for PSL 10 (2025), with Mezan Cooking Oil, Banaspati, Cola Next, and Mezan Ultra Rich Premium Tea brands featured on kit and stadium branding across Lahore and Karachi venues.
• Daewoo Battery (Treet Battery Limited)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 April 2025Official Battery Partner for PSL 10, aligning energy and performance branding with cricket franchise through stadium activations and brand presence.
• Abbott Nutrition Pakistan (Ensure)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 January 2025Official Nutrition and Food Supplement Partner for PSL 10, promoting health and fitness through player nutrition support and community wellness campaigns.
• HUM NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial Media Partner extending strategic broadcast reach and media coverage for Islamabad United across Pakistan's television landscape.
• The Citizens Foundation (TCF)minorOthersCSR and education partnership ongoing since PSL 5 (2020), supporting quality education for underprivileged children in Pakistan. Islamabad United players visit TCF schools; TCF serves 250,000+ students across 1,500+ schools.
• Foodpanda PakistanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Food Partner for PSL 7 (2022), combining cricket and food delivery to engage Pakistan's passionate cricket fans nationwide across 40+ cities.
• UfoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Telecom Partner for PSL 8, providing connectivity and digital activation support for franchise communications and fan engagement.
• TCL PakistanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial TV Partner for PSL 9 (2024), enhancing broadcast and media reach for the franchise across Pakistan.
• UniworthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerElevated fan experience partnership for PSL 9 (2024), enhancing merchandise and retail offerings for Islamabad United fans.
• Premier Code (DCODE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Smart Phone Partner for PSL 7 (2022), featuring Islamabad United players in marketing campaigns for DCODE smartphones.
• WWF-PakistanminorOthersEnvironmental partnership supporting wildlife conservation and sustainability initiatives including the 'Save Our Snow Leopard' campaign and broader environmental awareness drives.
• Imran QureshiflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's first cricket x art collaboration under AANideasLAB: IQxIU project. Imran Qureshi, Pakistan's pre-eminent international artist, created artwork featured on team kits and collectibles, blending cricket and art for cultural storytelling.
• GamiflycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFan engagement partnership for revolutionary interactive experiences, combining real-life and digital worlds. Gamifly provides cutting-edge technology for Islamabad United to connect fans with the team year-round.
• Iqra UniversityminorOthersEducational institution partnership for PSL 8, supporting community engagement and youth development initiatives.
• VegasCity / DecentralandcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership to build U-Meta Stadium — the world's first built-to-scale cricket metaverse stadium — within Decentraland's open metaverse platform, spanning 6 acres in the VegasCity precinct.
• Polygon (blockchain)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for minting Islamabad United's digital collectible cards (NFTs) on Polygon's Layer 2 blockchain, ensuring scalability, low fees, and carbon-neutral minting for the franchise's Web3 fan community.
• Tetra Pak PakistanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor appearing on Islamabad United playing kits for PSL 5 (2020) and PSL 6 (2021), with logo placement on shirts during matches.
• AilaajminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthTech partner for PSL 7 (2022), providing digital health solutions and wellness engagement for the franchise and its fans.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Paarl Royals: SA20 league franchise operating in a newer T20 league structure. Comparable franchise business model (cricket, sponsorship, merchandise) in a different geography, providing a relevant international benchmark for emerging-market T20 franchise economics.
• Manchester Originals: The Hundred franchise operating in the UK T20 competition. Comparable business model of city-based T20 franchise with matchday, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue, but in a more developed sports market with established commercial benchmarks.

Direct peers

• Peshawar Zalmi: Direct PSL rival franchise with similar regional sponsorship model and cricket operations. Comparable target market (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fans) and competitive positioning in the PSL franchise ecosystem.
• Karachi Kings: Direct PSL rival franchise sharing PSL's centralized media rights and revenue model. Competes with Islamabad United for sponsors, players, and fan attention across Pakistan's cricket economy.
• Quetta Gladiators: Direct PSL rival franchise operating under the same league economics, rules, and centralized media rights. Same business model and customer base (Pakistani cricket fans) as Islamabad United.
• Multan Sultans: Direct PSL rival franchise. Recently executed a player trade with Islamabad United (March 2026), confirming they operate in the same squad-building market and compete for the same PSL talent pool and sponsor categories.
• Lahore Qalandars: Direct PSL rival competing in the same Pakistan Super League franchise competition with similar cricket operations, sponsorship structure, and matchday economics. Comparable scale and target fanbase within Pakistan's domestic T20 league.

Broad incumbents

• Chennai Super Kings: IPL franchise with mature sponsorship portfolio and large fanbase comparable to Islamabad United's PSL dominance. Same franchise business model (cricket team + commercial operations) but operating in the larger, more lucrative Indian market.
• Kolkata Knight Riders: IPL franchise co-owned by Knight Riders Group with global multi-league presence (CPL, MLC, SA20, ILT20). Comparable cricket franchise model with broader geographic diversification than Islamabad United's PSL-anchored footprint.
• Mumbai Indians: The benchmark T20 cricket franchise globally (IPL), operating at significantly larger scale than PSL franchises. Comparable business model — matchday, sponsorship, merchandise, digital fan engagement — but with substantially higher revenue base and international media rights reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IsbUnited
• Facebookfacebook.com/IsbUnitedPSL
• Instagraminstagram.com/islamabadunitedpsl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/islamabadunited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Islamabad United