The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) officially completed its franchise lineup after Rahul Dravid was unveiled as co-owner of the Dublin Guardians ahead of the tournament's launch in 2026.
The league - backed by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan and Rules Sport Tech in partnership with the cricket boards of Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands - is being positioned as Europe's biggest cricket expansion project.
What has immediately made ETPL stand out, however, is the star-studded ownership list attached to all six franchises.
From Rahul Dravid and Glenn Maxwell to Steve Waugh, Chris Gayle and Faf du Plessis, several major cricket names are now directly involved in building teams across Europe.
Here's a full look at the ETPL owners list ahead
of the inaugural season.
Amsterdam Flames - Steve Waugh, Jamie Dwyer and Tim Thomas
The Amsterdam-based franchise is backed by an Australian-led ownership group featuring legendary former Australia captain Steve Waugh, hockey icon Jamie Dwyer and entrepreneur Tim Thomas.
Waugh's involvement marks a major return to franchise cricket leadership years after his playing retirement.
The franchise is expected to feature several Australian stars, with Mitchell Marsh likely to captain the side alongside names such as Steve Smith and Tim David.
Belfast franchise - Glenn Maxwell and Rohan Lund
The Belfast team is co-owned by Australian T20 star Glenn Maxwell and the Floodlight Capital Consortium led by businessman Rohan Lund.
Maxwell's involvement adds major global visibility to the project, especially given his standing as one of the most recognisable T20 players in world cricket.
The ownership group is expected to heavily focus on building a modern franchise structure around data, digital growth and entertainment.
Edinburgh Castle Rockers - Kyle Mills, Nathan McCullum and Rachel Wiseman
The Edinburgh franchise has strong New Zealand influence through former Black Caps stars Kyle Mills and Nathan McCullum alongside Rachel Wiseman.
The team is also expected to feature several Kiwi stars, including Mitchell Santner and Trent Boult, while Liam Livingstone is also linked with the side.
The franchise has already positioned itself as one of the most internationally balanced projects in the league.
Dublin Guardians - Rahul Dravid-led Indian consortium
Rahul Dravid became the latest major addition to the ETPL ownership list after officially joining Dublin Guardians as part of an Indian consortium.
The former India coach has already clarified that he will not become a hands-on owner and instead plans to focus on franchise structure while allowing cricket experts to handle team operations.
Dublin Guardians have also signed Ravichandran Ashwin as captain and mentor for the inaugural season.
The Dravid-Ashwin pairing immediately gives the franchise enormous cricket credibility heading into 2026.
Rotterdam Dockers - Faf du Plessis, Jonty Rhodes and partners
The Rotterdam franchise has one of the strongest South African influences in the competition.
Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis and legendary fielder Jonty Rhodes are both involved as co-owners alongside business partners Glashin and Samir Shah.
Du Plessis is also expected to captain the side during the inaugural season.
The franchise has openly spoken about wanting to create a "South African flavour" within the European cricket ecosystem.
Glasgow Mugafians - Chris Gayle and Vipul Aggarwal
West Indies icon Chris Gayle has joined the Glasgow-based franchise as co-owner and global brand ambassador.
The team is backed by Mugafi Group founder Vipul Aggarwal and represents one of the most entertainment-driven projects within the tournament.
Given Gayle's enormous T20 reputation and global fan following, Glasgow Mugafians are expected to become one of the most marketable teams in the league.
ETPL owners and teams aiming to become cricket's next expansion project
The ETPL will feature teams from Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands and is expected to launch in August 2026.
The league hopes to accelerate cricket's growth across Europe by combining Associate Nation talent with globally recognised international stars.
Several major players - including Mitchell Marsh, Heinrich Klaasen, Tim David, Liam Livingstone and Mitchell Santner - are expected to feature during the opening season.
With franchise owners now featuring some of cricket's biggest names, the ETPL has already generated significant attention even before a ball has been bowled.
