{{short description|European Twenty20 cricket league}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox cricket tournament main | name = European T20 Premier League | image = European Premier T20 League logo.png | caption = | country = {{plainlist| *{{flag|Ireland}} *{{flag|Netherlands}} *{{flag|Northern Ireland}} *{{flag|Scotland}} }} | administrator = * [[Cricket Scotland]] * [[Cricket Ireland]] * [[Royal Dutch Cricket Association]] | cricket format = [[T20 cricket]] | tournament format = [[Round-robin tournament|Round-robin league]] and [[playoffs]] | first = [[2026 European T20 Premier League|2026]] | last = | current = [[2026 European T20 Premier League]] | next = 2027 | participants = 6 | champions = | most successful = | website = {{URL|https://etplofficial.com/}} }} The '''European T20 Premier League (ETPL)''' is an upcoming professional [[twenty20 cricket]] league in [[Europe]]. It will be organised by [[Cricket Scotland]], [[Cricket Ireland]], and [[Royal Dutch Cricket Association]], and will be played during summer each year from 2026. The League will comprise six teams across [[Scotland]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Northern Ireland]]{{efn|name=Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland does not have a cricket association, but at least one team is likely to be from [[Belfast]].}}, and the [[Netherlands]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-06-05 |title=European T20 Premier League: Franchise tournament in Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands will be postponed |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/cj420j0z9l8o |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cricketireland.ie/news/new-tournament-for-2025/ |title=New tournament for 2025 |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=5 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands combine for new T20 franchise tournament |url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/international-premium/ireland_scotland_netherlands_new_t20_franchise_tournament.html?t=638716054680008741 |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=The Cricketer}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Euro T20 Slam === In March 2019, [[Cricket Scotland]], [[Cricket Ireland]] and the [[Royal Dutch Cricket Association]] officially announced a sanctioned cross-border European Twenty20 professional franchise tournament, the Euro T20 Slam,<ref>{{cite web|title=Euro T20 Slam organisers eye August window confirmed|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/euro-t20-slam-organisers-eye-august-window-1224989|date=20 March 2019 |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> originally for six teams and for which an initial player draft was held. The organiser, which was also responsible for the Canadian [[Global T20 Canada|Global T20]] tournament, announced a number of postponements in the following years, but a combination of organisational issues and the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] effectively rendered the tournament abandoned without holding one season.

=== European T20 Premier League === In January 2025 it was confirmed that a broadly similar venture,<ref name="ICC sanction"/> again with the same three boards and privately funded, but organised by a committee to be put together by the three national boards themselves, and with six initial teams, had received International Cricket Council sanction to begin play in July 2025, effectively replacing the defunct Euro T20 Slam branding with a new European T20 Premier League.<ref>{{cite web |title=ICC announces formal sanction of European T20 Premier League |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/icc-sanctions-european-t20-premier-league-latest-news-updates/article69062706.ece |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=Sportstar}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ICC Greenlights European T20 Premier League for 2025 |url=https://www.footboom1.com/en/news/cricket/2258240-icc-greenlights-european-t20-premier-league-for-2025 |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=Footboom}}</ref><ref name="ICC sanction">{{cite web |title=ICC sanction new European T20 Premier League |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/cricket/2025/0104/1489096-icc-sanction-new-european-t20-premier-league/ |date=2025-01-04 |access-date=5 January 2025 |work=RTE News}}</ref> Scheduled for July and early August 2025, the event avoids most of the southern hemisphere and Caribbean franchise tournaments, including the [[Indian Premier League]]. [[Bollywood]] entertainer [[Abhishek Bachchan]] was announced as part owner of the league at the same time as its sanctioning.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dixon |first=Ed |date=2025-01-07 |title=European T20 Premier League bags investment from Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan |url=https://www.sportspro.com/news/european-t20-premier-league-cricket-icc-abhishek-bachchan-january-2025/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=SportsPro |language=en-GB}}</ref> The tournament was postponed again to 2026.<ref name=":0" />

==Format== The ETPL is expected to be played in a single [[Round-robin tournament|round-robin]] format, where each team faces every other team once during the league stage. The top four teams at the end of the group stage qualify for the playoffs, which are planned to follow the [[Page playoff system]].

The league is expected to operate under [[International Cricket Council]] regulations. In the group stage, teams are awarded two points for a win, one point for a no-result, and zero points for a loss. If a match ends in a tie after both sides have completed their allotted overs, a [[super over]] is used to decide the winner.

Teams in the league stage are ranked based on: # Higher number of points # If equal, better net run rate # If equal, higher number of wins # If equal, fewer losses # If still equal, results of head-to-head matches

In the playoffs, if a match has no result, a [[super over]] is used to determine the winner. If a super over cannot be played or also ends in a tie, the team that finished higher in the league stage standings is declared the winner.

== Teams == === Current teams === {{OSM Location map |nolabels=1 |width=450 |height=450 |coord={{coord|55|-1.7}} |zoom=5 |shapeD=circle |shape-colorD=red |shape-outlineD=black |mark-sizeD=7 |label-sizeD=10,background,outline |label-posD=east |float=right

<!-- Amsterdam Flames --> |label1='''[[Amsterdam Flames]]''' |mark-coord1={{Coord|52.3676|4.9041}} |shape-color1=red |label-pos1=west |mark-title1=[[Amsterdam Flames]] |mark-description1=[[Amsterdam]]

<!-- Rotterdam Dockers --> |label2='''[[Rotterdam Dockers]]''' |mark-coord2={{Coord|51.9225|4.4792}} |shape-color2=red |label-pos2=west |mark-title2=[[Rotterdam Dockers]] |mark-description2=[[Rotterdam]]

<!-- Dublin Guardians --> |label3='''[[Dublin Guardians]]''' |mark-coord3={{Coord|53.3498|-6.2603}} |shape-color3=red |label-pos3=west |mark-title3=[[Dublin Guardians]] |mark-description3=[[Dublin]]

<!-- Irish Wolves --> |label4='''[[Irish Wolves]]''' |mark-coord4={{Coord|54.5973|-5.9301}} |shape-color4=red |label-pos4=west |mark-title4=[[Irish Wolves]] |mark-description4=[[Belfast]]

<!-- Edinburgh Castle Rockers --> |label5='''[[Edinburgh Castle Rockers]]''' |mark-coord5={{Coord|55.9533|-3.1883}} |shape-color5=red |label-pos5=east |mark-title5=[[Edinburgh Castle Rockers]] |mark-description5=[[Edinburgh]]

<!-- Glasgow Cosmic --> |label6='''[[Glasgow Cosmic]]''' |mark-coord6={{Coord|55.8642|-4.2518}} |shape-color6=red |label-pos6=west |mark-title6=[[Glasgow Cosmic]] |mark-description6=[[Glasgow]]

}} In January 2025, only the names of the host cities were announced.<ref>{{cite web|title=Abhishek Bachchan becomes co-owner of ICC-sanctioned European T20 Premier League |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/business/brandwagon-abhishek-bachchan-becomes-co-owner-of-icc-sanctioned-european-t20-premier-league-3709080/|access-date=7 January 2025 |work=BrandWagon Online}}</ref> The following 21 January, the ETPL announced the first three franchise owners in Sydney, which were [[Amsterdam Flames]], [[Edinburgh Castle Rockers]], and [[Irish Wolves]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/cql4eqw23nzo |title=Waugh invests in European T20 Premier League |work=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/steven-smith-mitchell-marsh-to-appear-in-a-new-europe-based-t20-league-waugh-maxwell-among-owners-1520318 |title=Smith, Marsh to play in new Europe-based T20 league; Waugh, Maxwell among owners |work=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/137375/etpl-unveils-steve-waugh-glenn-maxwell-kyle-mills-as-owners |title=ETPL unveils Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Mills as owners |work=[[Cricbuzz]] |access-date=21 January 2026}}</ref> Later on 20 April, Glasgow Mugafians was announced as one of the franchises.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/etpl-led-by-abhishek-bachchan-announces-glasgow-franchise-chris-gayle-mugafi-group-acquire-team-ownership-11385238 |title=ETPL, Led By Abhishek Bachchan, Announces Glasgow Franchise. Chris Gayle, Mugafi Group Acquire Team Ownership |work=[[NDTV]] |access-date=20 April 2026}}</ref> A few days later, on 28 April, the franchise rebranded its social media to [[Glasgow Cosmic]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://x.com/glasgowcosmic |title=Glasgow Cosmic |via=[[X (social network)|X]] |access-date=28 April 2026}}</ref> On 30 April 2026, [[Jonty Rhodes]], [[Faf du Plessis]], and [[Heinrich Klaasen]] were announced as the owners of [[Rotterdam Dockers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/cricket/sa-stars-jonty-faf-klaasen-acquire-rotterdam-franchise-in-etpl20260430110807/ |title=SA stars Jonty, Faf, Klaasen acquire Rotterdam franchise in ETPL |work=[[Asian News International|ANI]] |date=30 April 2026 |access-date=1 May 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/etpl-2026-faf-du-plessis-heinrich-klaasen-and-jonty-rhodes-buy-rotterdam-franchise-1534670 |title=Du Plessis, Rhodes, Klaasen join forces in 'easy business decision' to co-own ETPL team |work=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |access-date=1 May 2026}}</ref> On 11 May 2026, the final team was announced as the [[Dublin Guardians]], with a [[Rahul Dravid]] led consortium as their owners.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 May 2026 |title=ETPL: Rahul Dravid acquires Dublin Guardians franchise for European T20 tournament |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/c8d8165pe11o |access-date=12 May 2026 |website=[[BBC Sport]]}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:90%" |- !colspan="2"| Team ! City ! Home ground ! Debut ! Captain ! Head coach ! Owner(s) |- | style="background:#EC2326; color:white;" | | [[Amsterdam Flames]] | {{flagicon|NED}} [[Amsterdam]] | [[VRA Cricket Ground]] | rowspan="6" style=text-align:center; | [[2026 European T20 Premier League|2026]] | [[Mitchell Marsh]] | | [[Steve Waugh]], <br/> [[Jamie Dwyer]], <br/> Tim Thomas |- | style="background:#12356C; color:white;" | | [[Dublin Guardians]] | {{flagicon|IRE}} [[Dublin]] | [[Malahide Cricket Ground]] | [[Ravichandran Ashwin]] | | [[Rahul Dravid]] |- | style="background:#FFA500; color:white;" | | [[Edinburgh Castle Rockers]] | {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Edinburgh]] | [[The Grange Club]] | [[Mitchell Santner]] | [[James Foster (cricketer, born 1980)|James Foster]] | [[Nathan McCullum]], <br/> [[Kyle Mills]] |- | style="background:#1E90FF; color:white;" | | [[Glasgow Cosmic]] | {{flagicon|SCO}} [[Glasgow]] | [[The Grange Club]] | | | Tansha Batra,<br/> [[Chris Gayle]] |- | style="background:#008F51; color:white;" | | [[Irish Wolves]] | {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Belfast]] | [[Stormont (cricket ground)|Stormont Cricket Ground]] | [[Glenn Maxwell]] | | Rohan Lund,<br/>[[Glenn Maxwell]] |- | style="background:#FF6700; color:white;" | | [[Rotterdam Dockers]] | {{flagicon|NED}} [[Rotterdam]] | [[VRA Cricket Ground]] | [[Faf du Plessis]] | | [[Jonty Rhodes]],<br/>[[Faf du Plessis]],<br/>[[Heinrich Klaasen]] |}

==Tournament season and results== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !scope="col" rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="4" |Final !scope="col" rowspan="2" |Player of the series ! rowspan="2" |No. of teams |- !scope="col"|Winner !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Runners-up !scope="col"|Venue |- !scope="row"|[[2026 European T20 Premier League|2026]] |}

==Team performances== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- !scope="col" {{diagonal split header 2|<br />Teams|Seasons}} ![[2026 European T20 Premier League|2026]] |- | style="text-align:left"| [[Amsterdam Flames]] |- | style="text-align:left"| [[Dublin Guardians]] |- | style="text-align:left"| [[Edinburgh Castle Rockers]] |- | style="text-align:left"| [[Glasgow Cosmic]] |- | style="text-align:left"| [[Irish Wolves]] |- | style="text-align:left"| [[Rotterdam Dockers]] |} * {{color box|border=darkgray|gold}} '''C''': Champions * {{color box|border=darkgray|silver}} '''RU''': Runner-up * {{color box|border=darkgray|cfc}} '''SF''': Team qualified for the semi-final of the competition == Venues ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin:auto;font-size:90%; | colspan="4" style="background:#ececec;color:#2C2C2C;vertical-align:middle;text-align: center;" | {{location map+|United Kingdom and Ireland|float=center|width=280|caption='''Venues of European T20 Premier League'''|places= {{location map~|United Kingdom and Ireland|lat=52.3676|long=4.9041|label=[[Amsterdam]]|position=right}} {{Location map~|United Kingdom and Ireland|lat=53.3498|long=-6.2603|label=[[Dublin]]|position=top}} {{Location map~|United Kingdom and Ireland|lat=55.9533|long=-3.1883|label=[[Edinburgh]]|position=left}} {{Location map~|United Kingdom and Ireland|lat=54.5973|long=-5.9301|label=[[Belfast]]|position=left}} }}

|- ! Netherlands ! Ireland ! Scotland ! Northern Ireland |- | [[VRA Cricket Ground]] | [[Malahide Cricket Ground]] | [[The Grange Club]] | [[Stormont (cricket ground)|Stormont Cricket Ground]] |- | Capacity: '''5,000''' | Capacity: '''11,500''' | Capacity: '''5,000''' | Capacity: '''7,000''' |}

==References== {{reflist}} {{notelist}} {{Cricket in Ireland}} {{Cricket in Scotland}} {{Cricket in the Netherlands}} {{Twenty20 leagues}}

[[Category:Twenty20 cricket leagues]] [[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 2019]] [[Category:Irish domestic cricket competitions]] [[Category:Dutch domestic cricket competitions]] [[Category:Scottish domestic cricket competitions]] [[Category:Professional cricket leagues]] [[Category:Multi-national sports leagues]]