The inaugural European T20 Premier League will begin on August 26, featuring six teams competing across venues in the Netherlands and Ireland over 26 days. The tournament will showcase international cricket stars including Steve Smith and Ravichandran Ashwin.
The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) will commence its first season on August 26 with Rotterdam Dockers facing Amsterdam Flames in the opening match. The six-team competition will span 26 days across two primary venues: Voorburg Cricket Club in the Netherlands and Malahide in Ireland, combining resources from multiple European nations to establish a new franchise cricket platform.
The tournament structure consists of 30 league matches conducted in a double round-robin format, where each team plays every opponent twice. The top-ranked team will advance directly to the final, while the second and third-placed finishers will compete in a Qualifier to determine the other finalist. The first 15 matches will take place at Voorburg before the competition relocates to Malahide on September 9, with travel days scheduled for September 7 and 8. The schedule includes multiple double-header days, with matches commencing at 11:30am and 3:15pm local time.
The league has attracted several internationally recognized cricketers to its inaugural edition, including players such as Steve Smith, Ravichandran Ashwin, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Heinrich Klaasen, Mitchell Marsh, Lungi Ngidi and Trent Boult. Team co-owners representing the participating franchises have expressed enthusiasm for the venture. Jonty Rhodes of Rotterdam Dockers highlighted the significance of the opening fixture, while Steve Waugh of Amsterdam Flames described it as an opportunity to introduce the team's cricket philosophy. Representatives from Dublin Guardians and Glasgow Cosmic also emphasized their commitment to building successful programs within European cricket's new franchise structure.
