European T20 Premier League opens player draft registration ahead of historic inaugural season
Dublin, June 19
European T20 Premier League, Europe's first ICC-sanctioned franchise T20 league, announced the opening of Player Draft Registration, marking a significant milestone on the road to its highly anticipated inaugural season.
Scheduled to be played from August 26 to September 20, 2026, the ETPL will bring together six city-based franchises representing Glasgow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast and Rotterdam in a tournament that promises to redefine the cricketing landscape across Europe, according to a release.
Featuring 32 matches, the competition will provide a world-class platform for emerging European talent to compete alongside some of the biggest names in international cricket, while accelerating the growth of the sport across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.
Player Draft Registration is open to male cricketers affiliated with Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland or the KNCB (Royal Dutch Cricket Association). Eligible players can now submit their registrations for consideration in the ETPL Player Draft through the official ETPL website, etplofficial.com, through which franchises will assemble their local player rosters ahead of the inaugural season.
The registration process represents the first step in the player acquisition pathway. Once registrations close, franchises will evaluate the available talent pool and select players through the official draft before finalising their squads for the season.
The ETPL has been built with a clear commitment to strengthening the European cricket ecosystem by creating new opportunities for local players to perform on a global stage. The league will offer participants exposure to elite competition, professional franchise environments, international broadcast coverage and world-class cricketing infrastructure.
For players across Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, the draft presents a unique opportunity to showcase their talent, earn selection alongside internationally renowned cricketers and become part of a landmark chapter in European cricket history.
The ETPL franchise ownership group brings together an exceptional blend of some of cricket's most respected names, including Steve Waugh, Rahul Dravid, Jonty Rhodes, Matthew Hayden, Faf du Plessis and Heinrich Klaasen, among others. Their association reflects the league's ambition to combine sporting excellence with strong local engagement and establish a new benchmark for franchise cricket in Europe.
With momentum continuing to build ahead of the inaugural season, aspiring cricketers from Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands are encouraged to seize the opportunity and register for the ETPL Player Draft for a chance to be part of European cricket history.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally! Europe needs more cricket exposure. But I'm a bit skeptical about the dates - August-September is peak monsoon season in some parts of Europe, isn't it? Unless they're expecting indoor stadiums or weather-proof facilities. Hope the organisers have thought about this. Otherwise, great initiative! 🏏
As an Irish cricket fan, this is massive! We've been crying out for a proper professional setup. The inclusion of legends like Dravid and du Plessis can only be good. My only concern is whether local players will actually get enough game time with all these big names around. Hope the draft is fair.
Great to see continental Europe getting into the franchise game! But I wonder - 32 matches in just over 3 weeks seems quite packed. And only 6 teams? That's very limited. Still, you have to start somewhere. Kaafi acha hai! 👏
Look at the ownership group - Waugh, Dravid, Rhodes, Hayden! That's a lot of cricketing royalty. But I hope they're not just lending their names for marketing. European cricket needs genuine investment in grassroots, not just flashy franchise leagues. Would love to see local Scottish and Dutch talent truly thrive.
This is brilliant for the sport! I'm from Scotland and we've had so little exposure. Finally a chance for our players to rub shoulders with the greats. The timing is perfect too - right after the European summer. Hope it becomes an annual thing and maybe even expands to more cities! 🏴
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