European T20 Premier League backed by Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan postponed to 2026

The European T20 Premier League (ETPL), originally slated to launch this year, has been postponed to 2026. This decision to postpone the tournament was unanimously approved by the European T20 Premier League Board following thorough discussions with key figures in cricket, business, and media.

The European T20 Premier League is co-owned by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan and features city-based teams from Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands. This upcoming tournament was scheduled to start next month, running from July 15 to August 3, but it will not take place this year.

Inaugural European T20 Premier League Postponed to 2026

According to an official statement, the European T20 Premier League has been postponed after extensive consultations with franchise aspirants, broadcasters, sponsors, and governing bodies. The statement added that postponing the event to 2026 would give it the best chance to succeed.

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"The decision comes after extensive consultation with key stakeholders across cricket, business and media," a statement by ETPL said.

"The initial 2025 window envisioned for the tournament provided a solid base, but conversations with franchise aspirants, broadcasters, sponsors, and governing bodies made it clear: 2026 gives ETPL the tournament the best chance to succeed," the statement further said.

We’re Building for the Long Term - ETPL Chair Warren Deutrom

ETPL Chair Warren Deutrom stated that the league is focused on long-term success. He stated that postponing the launch to 2026 provides the perfect opportunity to establish a professional and competitive tournament built to endure.

"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 Sport Tech and the national boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands, the ETPL is shaping up to be a powerful new force in global cricket," Deutrom said.

Our Focus Has Been Clear From the Start - ETPL Co-Owner Saurav Banerjee

Saurav Banerjee, co-owner of the ETPL, stated that their primary goal has always been to build the league correctly by partnering with the right people. He stated that the growing enthusiasm from investors, broadcasters, and franchises confirms they are moving in the right direction.

“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 to broadcasters to franchises confirms we are on the right path,” Banerjee said.

The ETPL has been postponed partly because three potential franchise owners chose to focus on acquiring stakes in The Hundred instead.

Notably, the ETPL project, sanctioned by the ICC on November 27, 2024, is a joint initiative led by Cricket Ireland along with the cricket boards of Scotland and the Netherlands. The tournament was planned to be held across six cities: Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.

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