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By Mehr Jan
A bold new chapter in European cricket has been paused before the first ball could be bowled.
The Euro T20 Premier League (ETPL), a six-team franchise tournament featuring squads from Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, has officially been postponed to 2026.
Initially scheduled to launch next month and run from July 15 to August 3, the ICC-sanctioned tournament was billed as a game-changer for European cricket, promising a splash of international talent, city-based franchises, and even Bollywood star power.
Among the notable investors was Indian actor and producer ‘Abhishek Bachchan’.
Yet despite the glitz and global ambition, logistical delays and clashing commercial interests—namely overlapping ownership negotiations with England’s The Hundred—have left the ETPL’s debut on thin ice.
The Hundred Casts a Long Shadow
At the heart of the delay lies the business tug-of-war between the ETPL and The Hundred, the short-format competition run by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
At least three of the six potential franchise owners for the ETPL are also in advanced talks to buy stakes in The Hundred. As those negotiations stretch on, priorities have shifted, leaving the European venture sidelined.
The ECB’s recent extension of its franchise sale deadline hasn’t helped. With the clock ticking and no final franchise deals in place for the ETPL, organizers have opted to postpone rather than scramble. A formal announcement confirming the rescheduling is expected within 48 hours.
A Bollywood-Backed Bet on Cricket’s Future
When the league was launched in January, Bachchan, 49, was introduced as a key stakeholder through a partnership with Rules Sport Tech, an Indian sports promotion firm.
He even flew to Dublin in March, generating buzz through media interviews and Instagram updates, all aimed at rallying excitement ahead of the ETPL’s first season.
The league’s mission was as ambitious as its marketing—“to elevate local talent, draw global superstars, and ignite a wave of cricketing enthusiasm across Europe.”
But for all its promise, the ETPL has echoes of a previous misfire.
In 2019, the Euro T20 Slam—a separate effort involving the same national boards but different investors—collapsed just weeks before its scheduled launch.
Despite having named teams, conducted a player draft, and signed marquee stars including England’s Eoin Morgan, the tournament was repeatedly delayed before vanishing altogether.
ETPL organizers remain optimistic that this iteration will not suffer the same fate.
While no teams have yet been officially sold, sources close to the league say there is confidence in the structure and the long-term plan.
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