Cricket Ireland has dusted off an idea that has been circulating for a while – a European multi-nation tournament modelled loosely on the Asia Cup – and, this time, the board believes the pieces might finally fall into place for a launch in the summer of 2027.
Chair Brian MacNeice, speaking at the release of Ireland’s 2026 home schedule on Friday, said he has been “very passionate” about the project for years. He’s now more upbeat than ever, largely because the conversations have moved from polite interest to nuts-and-bolts detail.
“I’ve had this on the table for discussion with various stakeholders for quite some time,” MacNeice told reporters. “It’s something that I’m very passionate about and that I fundamentally believe in.”
A simple, Asia-Cup-style set-up
The working title is the Euro Nations Cup. Early drafts involve five or six sides – England, Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands and Italy keep popping up – playing men’s and women’s T20 matches in one block, probably over two to three weeks. In other words, short, sharp and commercially tidy.
MacNeice reckons the event will “kick off in the summer of ’27”, though he accepts that the finer points – venues, exact formats, revenue splits – will need to land before broadcasters put pen to paper. “There’s ongoing discussions with various different stakeholders and parties associated with it… To be clear from the outset, that’s a men’s and women’s event,” he said. “It’s a little bit early from a broadcaster perspective to be going out until it’s all locked in, but we anticipate that there will be broadcast appetite for it.”
What about the ECB?
England’s board was sounded out last September when Jos Buttler’s T20 side popped over for that odd little three-match series in Bristol and Derby. Since then the ECB has been largely on the sidelines, at least in public, assessing diaries already stuffed with bilateral tours, the Hundred, and an expanded Champions Trophy cycle. MacNeice’s sense, though, is that Europe’s biggest player sees value in a regional competition, especially if it helps grow women’s cricket and offers an extra shop window for sponsors.
Financial realities
Ireland need fresh revenue streams – every Full Member outside the so-called ‘Big Three’ does – and a European Cup on home soil every few years could shift the needle. Short regional hops mean lower costs, and if England commit to sending first-choice sides the gate and broadcast numbers should look after themselves. One administrator from a neighbouring board, speaking on background, called it “sensible, not sexy – which is fine”.
More fixtures locked in
Friday’s press conference was not only about the Euro Nations Cup. Cricket Ireland confirmed a long-term partnership with the Emirates Cricket Board and the Cricket Association of Nepal, guaranteeing regular white-ball series against both nations. That deal also obliges each ILT20 franchise to sign at least one Ireland player from the 2026-27 season, a helpful pathway for younger talent to earn T20 experience – and a few Dirhams.
Context for fans
If the Euro Nations Cup gets over the line, it will be Europe’s first stab at a recurring, multi-team cricket competition outside World Cups and qualifiers. The Asia Cup, which dates back to 1984, has shown that a regional tournament can thrive even in a crowded calendar, provided costs are kept low and TV audiences are large enough to satisfy sponsors. European cricket, despite improved showings from the Dutch and Scots at recent ICC events, still lacks that flagship showcase.
Next steps
MacNeice wants a formal announcement “in the next couple of months”. That timetable feels ambitious, but administrators insist the mood is collaborative rather than territorial. One insider compared it to the early days of the Pro14 in rugby union – plenty of scepticism, yet ultimately an acceptance that smaller nations are stronger together.
For now, Ireland’s chair will keep nudging, cajoling and – when necessary – arm-twisting. As he put it bluntly, “The conversations have now developed and evolved to a point that I’m much more confident that it is going to happen.”
No bold promises, just a clear nudge towards 2027. If the Euro Nations Cup does take the field, European cricket fans might finally get their own midsummer festival – more functional than flashy, but long overdue all the same.
