The European T20 Premier League (ETPL), an ICC-sanctioned competition, has officially revealed the owners of its first three franchises at an international press conference held in Sydney, Australia. The announcement was made against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, marking a significant milestone ahead of the league’s inaugural season, scheduled to begin in late summer 2026.
Abhishek Bachchan unveils first three European T20 Premier League franchises in Sydney
The first three franchise cities confirmed are Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast, each backed by leading names in international sport and business.
The Amsterdam franchise will be owned by a group led by former Australian captain and World Cup-winning cricketer Steve Waugh, along with Olympic gold medalist and five-time World Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer and former CEO of the Center for Australia-India Relations and former partner at KPMG Australia, Tim Thomas.
The Edinburgh franchise is anchored by former New Zealand internationals Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills, both of whom have extensive experience of international cricket and high-performance systems.
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will own the Belfast franchise along with former NRMA Group CEO Rohan Lund and additional strategic partners to be announced at a later date.
Speaking about his collaboration with the Amsterdam team, Steve Waugh said the project is notable for its long-term vision. He described the league as an opportunity to support the expansion of cricket in Europe while maintaining the core values of the game.
Glenn Maxwell, commenting on his involvement with the Belfast franchise, said that the aim was to create a culture rooted in fun, fearlessness and community, while contributing to the continued growth of cricket in Ireland.
Former New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Mills said the ETPL’s emphasis on governance and strong board partnerships made it an attractive proposition, adding that the league had the potential to become a significant force in global cricket.
The ETPL is owned and operated through a joint venture between Rules Global (Rules X) and ICC full member Cricket Ireland. The league is co-founded by Abhishek Bachchan, Sourav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dheeraj Malhotra and is supported by formal partnerships with Cricket Scotland and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB).
ETPL co-founder, actor and sports entrepreneur Abhishek Bachchan said that his experience in sports has shaped the philosophy of the league. He said worthwhile franchises are built on intention, integrity and vision, and the ETPL aims to bring together established international players with emerging European talent while maintaining high standards of governance and transparency.
Co-founder Saurav Banerjee highlighted Europe’s under-commercialized cricket ecosystem, pointing out that the continent accounts for almost one-third of the ICC’s global membership. He said ETPL is designed to unlock this potential through a structured, franchise-based model.
Officials from Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland and KNCB also welcomed the announcement and described the league as an important step towards accelerating the growth of cricket across Europe.
With Europe gaining momentum on the global stage – including Italy’s qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and a number of European countries hosting upcoming ICC events – the ETPL positions itself as a platform to support the next phase of cricket development in the region. The first season of the league is expected to start in the last week of August 2026.
