What is ETPL? Rahul Dravid and owners to co-own team in Abhishek Bachchan-led T20 league

A new cricket league, coined as the European T20 Premier League (ETPL), makes its entry as franchise cricket comes to Europe, with franchises from Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands.

The league sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) aims to position Europe as a strong presence in the T20 circuit, with international stars and local talents in the mix.

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Abhishek Bachchan, Bollywood actor and sportsperson, owns the league alongside Rules Sport Tech and the league's founders are Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dhiraj Malhotra.

There will be six franchises in the opening year, and the season runs from August 26 until September 20, 2026, played in the Netherlands and Ireland.

While Chris Gayle was initially announced as a co-owner of the Glasgow franchise before the ownership structure was subsequently updated, The Sporting News takes a look at the owners of ETPL 2026 sides.

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What is ETPL?

The concept of conducting a European T20 competition was first conceived by the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands in 2019, although the idea had to be postponed due to the pandemic.

In 2025, the idea was revived by the three national boards and it was decided that the league would be privately funded. It was decided that the league would be partly owned by actor Abhishek Bachchan. 

Initially, the competition was supposed to be held in the summer of 2025 but later it was postponed to 2026.

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How many teams will participate in ETPL 2026?

European T20 Premier League (ETPL) 2026 consists of six franchise teams based in different cities from Ireland, Scotland, and Netherlands. Franchise rights have been sold for roughly £11.1 million ($15 million) in 10 years, which works out to approximately ₹145 crore per franchise team.

TeamCityHome groundAmsterdam FlamesAmsterdamVRA Cricket GroundDublinDublinMalahide Cricket GroundEdinburgh Castle RockersEdinburghThe Grange ClubGlasgow MugafiansGlasgowThe Grange ClubIrish WolvesBelfastStormont Cricket GroundRotterdamRotterdamVRA Cricket Ground

MORE: How to watch ETPL 2026 in India: Live stream, TV channel and schedule

Who are the owners in ETPL 2026? 

The six ETPL teams have managed to entice a distinguished list of ex-international cricket stars, sporting personalities, and business icons. The investors’ group includes Steve Waugh, Glenn Maxwell, Rahul Dravid, Matthew Hayden, and Faf du Plessis, in addition to Bollywood actor John Abraham.

TeamOwnersAmsterdam FlamesSteve Waugh, Jamie Dwyer, Tim ThomasBelfast WolvesGlenn Maxwell, Rohan LundDublin GuardiansRahul DravidEdinburgh Castle RockersKyle Mills, Nathan McCullumGlasgow CosmicsMatthew Hayden, Tansha Batra, Vipul Agarwal, Rashid Khan / Mugafi GroupRotterdam DockersFaf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes, Heinrich Klaasen, John AbrahamHow to watch ETPL 2026: Live stream, TV channel

Here's how to watch the European T20 Premier League 2026 live from India:

• TV channel: Star Sports Network
• Live stream: JioHotstar

Live telecast of ETPL 2026 matches will be available on the Star Sports Network, with live streaming available through JioHotstar app and website.

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