World Premier Squash (WPS), a new team-based professional league endorsed by World Squash and the Professional Squash Association, has appointed Saurav Ghosal as sports commissioner ahead of its inaugural season, scheduled to begin in August 2026.
The appointment places one of India’s most accomplished squash players at the centre of a league structure designed to expand access to elite competition through an integrated model combining high-performance sport and technology-enabled talent identification. WPS aims to create a new competitive pathway that complements the existing professional ecosystem while broadening opportunities for emerging players worldwide.
Ghosal, a former World No. 10 and a longstanding presence on the PSA Tour, will lead the development of the league’s sporting framework, including competition format, qualification criteria, athlete eligibility standards and officiating regulations. His role will focus on ensuring competitive integrity while shaping a structure that reflects the evolving demands of global professional sport.
Adi K Mishra, Founder & CEO, Future of Sports Platform, said, “Saurav has spent over two decades competing at the summit of this sport. He understands the nuances of the sport and the need to innovate with integrity. As World Premier Squash builds at the intersection of elite competition and technology-driven participation, his leadership is the foundation we want to build on.”
Saurav Ghosal, Sports Commissioner, World Premier Squash, added, “The best squash players in the world came through communities, clubs and courts far from the spotlight. World Premier Squash honours that by using AI-enabled challenges on the FSP platform to connect every corner of the global squash family, and giving the sport’s next great player, wherever they are, a genuine path to the top.”
World Premier Squash will feature a 24-player format combining established professionals with emerging players identified through data-led performance assessment. Eight positions in the league will be allocated to elite professionals, while up to 16 additional spots, including reserve positions, will be determined through AI-enabled challenges hosted on the Future of Sports Platform. The structure is designed to create a merit-based pathway that reduces dependency on geography, ranking history or traditional representation models.
As sports commissioner, Ghosal will work with league stakeholders to establish competition regulations, define performance standards and ensure alignment with international best practices in athlete governance. His responsibilities will also include contributing to long-term development pathways that integrate digital evaluation tools into talent identification systems.
Across a professional career spanning more than two decades, Ghosal has represented India at the highest levels of international squash, including the PSA World Tour, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. He has secured multiple PSA titles and played a significant role in strengthening India’s presence within the global squash landscape. In addition to his on-court achievements, Ghosal has contributed to athlete representation initiatives, including leadership roles within PSA player governance structures.
The launch of World Premier Squash comes at a significant moment for the sport globally, with squash set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. New competition platforms are increasingly viewed as catalysts for expanding commercial visibility, strengthening player pathways and accelerating fan engagement in the lead-up to the Olympic cycle.
By combining professional competition with open, technology-enabled qualification routes, World Premier Squash aims to introduce a scalable model that balances performance credibility with broader accessibility. The league’s inaugural season is expected to feature players from established and emerging squash markets, with further details regarding venues, team structures and commercial partnerships to be announced in the coming months.
Ghosal’s appointment signals WPS’s intention to anchor its competitive structure in athlete expertise while exploring new frameworks for global participation. As squash prepares for a new phase of international growth, the league represents an evolving approach to how professional pathways in the sport may develop in the coming years.
