Steven Smith and Australia’s T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh are set to headline the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL), a six-team competition that will shuttle between Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands later this year.
Key facts first
• Six teams, three already sold: Amsterdam Flames, Irish Wolves (Belfast base) and an Edinburgh side yet to be named.
• Backers include Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum.
• Tournament window: 26 August-20 September, wedged between the Hundred final and the Caribbean Premier League.
• Joint venture involving Cricket Ireland, Rules Global (India), Cricket Scotland and the KNCB.
• ICC-sanctioned – the first league to span three countries.
Who owns what
Waugh heads a consortium – former Kookaburras hockey star Jamie Dwyer is on board – that controls Amsterdam Flames. Maxwell and Australian businessman Rohan Lund have taken a majority stake in the Irish Wolves, while McCullum and Mills front the Edinburgh franchise. Three further licences, earmarked for Dublin, Rotterdam and Glasgow, remain on the market.
Why Waugh is involved
Waugh: “ETPL not just a token gesture to support European cricket.”
The former Australia captain has kept his distance from the professional game since retiring more than two decades ago. He insists this venture is about substance rather than nostalgia.
“We’ve approached a number of players and haven’t had one negative comment at all,” Waugh told ESPNcricinfo. “They’re just so fascinated by it. I think because I haven’t been involved too much in cricket, they must think, well, this is a serious project. And they know what I stand for: the values and teamwork and working together and being successful. They’re fascinated by the fact that it’s going to be in Europe.”
Signing Smith, Marsh and Netherlands captain Scott Edwards supports that claim. Tim David is also “in positive discussions”, Waugh confirmed.
What’s different
Plenty of T20 ventures have been pitched to Europe – remember the Euro Slam that never got off the runway in 2019 – but none have made it to the start line. The ETPL has ticked the ICC paperwork and has the backing, in cash and profile, to get moving. Still, the clash with the CPL means availability for West Indian stars is uncertain, while English players may need ECB clearance straight after the Hundred.
Money matters remain opaque. League officials have not published salary bands or a total purse, though privately they suggest a mid-range IPL contract won’t be matched. Appearance fees and a compact schedule – just under four weeks – are the main selling points.
Local impact
European boards see the league as a fast-track for home-grown talent. Cricket Ireland expects at least two domestic players in every XI; Scotland and the Netherlands are pushing for the same. Scott Edwards, with Amsterdam Flames, gives Dutch fans an obvious focal point, while Ireland’s emerging bowlers could share a new-ball role with Smith or Marsh looking on. For supporters, the chance to watch high-profile Australians in their own backyard is rare – and might shift a few turnstiles.
Logistics and venues
Organisers plan to move in three-to-four-day blocks: opening stint in Belfast, a hop to Edinburgh, a Dutch leg around Rotterdam/Amsterdam, then back for finals in Dublin. Short hops reduce travel fatigue and, they hope, build a rolling carnival feel rather than six isolated events.
Early reaction
Agents report interest from players squeezed out of the Hundred draft. County coaches are wary of burn-out but recognise the chance for fringe players to “learn on someone else’s coin”, as one put it. Sponsors are testing the water: airlines for obvious reasons, a streaming partner keen to tap the South Asian diaspora in Europe, and a handful of tech start-ups aware that cricket delivers reliable watch-time numbers.
Challenges ahead
Weather, always. Late August can be kind, yet Scottish rain is never far away. Scheduling overlaps will bite if the CPL presses ahead with an August start. And three franchises still need owners; the league says talks are “advanced” but until cheques clear, uncertainty lingers.
Still, the mood is cautiously upbeat. The presence of household names on the park, and former captains in the boardroom, suggests this is more than another press release. Whether Europe embraces a roving T20 roadshow will become clear once the first ball is bowled in Belfast on 26 August.
