Co-owned by Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan, the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has been rescheduled and will be held in 2026. The competition was originally slated to be staged from July 15 to August 3 this year.

The ETPL is endorsed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and was unveiled on November 27 last year. It is a six-team T20 tournament featuring cricket boards from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. The target of the tournament is to develop and nurture cricket in Europe.

Ireland Cricket Stated:

“The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) will officially launch in 2026, following unanimous approval by the Board. The decision follows extensive consultation with key stakeholders across cricket, business, and media."

It added:

“The initial 2025 window for the tournament provided a solid foundation, but discussions with franchise aspirants, broadcasters, sponsors, and governing bodies made it clear: 2026 offers the best opportunity for ETPL to succeed."

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But reports indicate that three individuals who were set to own franchises in the ETPL have also invested in The Hundred, another cricket competition. Since they assigned more priority to The Hundred, the ETPL has been postponed.

Warren Deutrom, Chair of ETPL said:

“We’re building for the long term. With the right partners, capital, and support across the board, 2026 gives us the ideal runway to launch a league that is professional, competitive, and built to last. With the backing of Rules Sports Tech and the national boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, the is shaping up to be a powerful new force in global cricket.".

Saurav Banerjee, co-owner of ETPL said:

“Our focus has been clear from the start: build it right, with the right people. The surge of interest we are now seeing from investors, broadcasters, to franchises confirms we are on the right path."

The organizers look forward to reviving the league bigger in 2026.