After two failed launch attempts, a new European franchise Twenty20 league is finally set to get off the ground, backed by high-profile cricket stars, global entertainment figures, and official approval from the sport’s governing body.
The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) is scheduled to begin in August, with Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and former Australian captain Steve Waugh among the franchise owners. The league is supported by the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, and has received clearance from the International Cricket Council.
The ETPL ownership group also includes Indian actor and producer Abhishek Bachchan, who is among the league’s founders and a key driver behind its European expansion ambitions.
Speaking to Reuters from Sydney, where the league formally unveiled its team owners, Bachchan acknowledged that cricket has traditionally struggled for mainstream recognition across much of continental Europe.
“Mainland Europe is not known for cricket,” he said. “But this is an opportunity to build a strong cricket ecosystem across the region. With the ETPL, we want to bring the euphoria of cricket to places where the sport is still emerging.”
The league will initially feature three franchises. The Amsterdam team is owned by a consortium that includes Waugh and former Australian hockey great Jamie Dwyer, a five-time International Hockey Federation Player of the Year. Maxwell is a co-owner of the Belfast franchise, while former New Zealand internationals Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills have taken ownership of the Edinburgh side.
Europe already represents the ICC’s largest regional membership base, with 33 member nations, including full members England and Ireland. Scotland and the Netherlands have previously featured in Cricket World Cups, while Italy is set to make its T20 World Cup debut next month—an indicator, Bachchan believes, of cricket’s growing footprint on the continent.
“Italy qualifying for the World Cup shows how interest in cricket is expanding in Europe,” he said. “Add to that cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games, and you have a major opportunity for growth.”
The league’s ambitions extend well beyond visibility. Bachchan said the long-term goal is to position the ETPL alongside the world’s leading T20 competitions.
“We hope to turn the ETPL into one of the top T20 leagues globally,” he said.
For Waugh, the appeal lies in grassroots impact as much as commercial success. The former Australia captain said the Amsterdam franchise could play a key role in inspiring young Dutch players by giving them direct access to elite international talent.
“Franchise cricket allows local players to share dressing rooms with the best in the world,” Waugh told Reuters. “Dutch players could find themselves playing alongside someone like Mitchell Marsh or Steve Smith. That kind of exposure is priceless—you simply can’t replicate that experience.”
The ETPL was originally conceived as the Euro T20 Slam but failed to launch in 2019. A second attempt planned for last year was also postponed. Organisers now say the revised structure, broader ownership base, and official backing have finally put the league on stable footing.
