Steve Waugh Leads Star-Studded Investment as European T20 Premier League Secures Smith, Marsh, and Maxwell

The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) has taken a significant step forward with former Australia captain Steve Waugh emerging as a key franchise investor. The six-team tournament, set to be played across Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, is now scheduled to launch on 26 August 2026 after being postponed from its original 2025 start date.

Steve Waugh's Amsterdam Flames Lead the Charge

Waugh, who played 168 Tests and 325 one-day internationals for Australia, is heading up the Amsterdam Flames franchise. The consortium backing the Flames includes former Australian field hockey player Jamie Dwyer and Australian businessman Tim Thomas.

The Flames have already made waves in the player market, securing high-profile Australia internationals Steve Smith and Mitch Marsh as two of their overseas players.

"I'm not signing up to a Mickey Mouse T20 competition. This is the real deal. I wouldn't be lending my name to it, or bringing my knowledge, if it wasn't. The players we've spoken to are very keen to play in this league."

— Steve Waugh, speaking to BBC Sport

The 60-year-old cricket legend expressed his fascination with the opportunity to "take the global game of cricket to continental Europe."

Maxwell and McCullum Families Join the Investment Wave

Glenn Maxwell and his brother Daniel are among the investors in the Belfast-based franchise, expected to be called the Irish Wolves. Their consortium includes Rohan Lund, former chief executive of one of Australia's largest roadside assistance networks.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh franchise, set to be called the Castle Rockers, has been acquired by a New Zealand consortium. Former Black Caps internationals Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum—the elder sibling of current England coach Brendon McCullum—are the main backers.

Financial Structure and Ownership

Bollywood actor and film producer Abhishek Bachchan is a part-owner of the ETPL in conjunction with Rules Sport Tech, a private Indian company.

Key financial details include:

• Franchise sale price: £11.1m ($15m) over a 10-year period
• Team salary budget: approximately £1.1m ($1.5m) per season

"We are all primed and ready to go but the true hard work starts now. We are very confident of the stakeholders we have on board and expect the ETPL will establish itself in the global ecosystem of franchise tournaments."

— Abhishek Bachchan

Remaining Franchises and Future Investment

Deals for the remaining franchises in Dublin, Glasgow, and Rotterdam are anticipated to be completed by the end of February. Two of those are likely to be sold to Indian backers, with sources indicating at least one Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise is keen to add a side to its global portfolio.

Tournament Structure and Player Eligibility

The league is being run in collaboration with the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, and has been sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC), who view it as a valuable platform for cricket development in Europe.

Squad Composition Requirements

• Squad sizes are yet to be formally agreed
• At least seven players must be from Europe
• The majority will be drawn from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands
• Pathway open for players from other Associate nations

Scheduling Considerations

The tournament's August-September timing creates several scheduling challenges:

• Clashes with England's Test series against Pakistan (ruling out multi-format players like Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, and Jofra Archer)
• Overlaps with the Caribbean Premier League (15 August to 22 September)
• Conflicts with County Championship fixtures from 20 August

England players would require a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the ECB to participate. County-contracted players on white-ball-only deals would be free to play with an NOC, given no clash with The Hundred or The Blast.

Cricket Board Reactions

Cricket Ireland chair Brian MacNeice described the ETPL as a "crucial step forward in the development and growth of Irish cricket."

Cricket Scotland chief executive Trudy Lindblade called it a "groundbreaking opportunity" for Scottish cricketers.

Historical Context and Challenges Ahead

The road to the ETPL has been fraught with setbacks. The competition's forerunner, the Euro Slam, was delayed just two weeks before its first scheduled game in 2019, despite established franchises and a completed player draft. The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent investment challenges scuppered further attempts.

Potential concerns include:

• The challenge of staging cricket without permanent venues
• Weather unpredictability in western Europe (three of Ireland's six T20s during the 2025 home summer were lost to rain)

The Development Opportunity

Despite the scepticism, the benefits for players from Associate nations are clear. Lack of exposure to top-level cricket has often been cited as an issue hampering international progress. In Ireland particularly, the absence of competitive cricket was a dominant discussion point throughout the previous year.

For all involved, this represents a significant opportunity that those backing European cricket believe they must pursue.