NEW DELHI: The European T20 Premier League (ETPL) on Wednesday revealed that Australian cricket greats Steve Waugh and Glenn Maxwell, along with hockey icon Jamie Dwyer, will serve as franchise owners for the upcoming tournament, which is set to launch later this year.

Backed by the cricket boards of the Netherlands (KNCB), Ireland (CI) and Scotland (CS), the multi-nation franchise league is co-founded by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan and has received official approval from the ICC. Although announced last year, the league is now gearing up for its first season.

The ETPL will feature six teams and a total of 34 matches. The organisers also confirmed the ownership of the first three franchises - Amsterdam, Edinburgh and Belfast - with the competition scheduled to get underway in late summer 2026.

The Amsterdam franchise will be owned by a consortium headed by Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh, alongside former Australian hockey captain and Olympic gold medallist Jamie Dwyer, and Tim Thomas, the former CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations and a former partner at KPMG Australia.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh team will be jointly owned by former New Zealand internationals Nathan McCullum and Kyle Mills.

Belfast will be owned by Australian all-rounder Maxwell, together with Rohan Lund, former Group CEO of insurance company NRMA, alongside strategic partners to be announced in due course.

"I've always been selective about where I invest my time and energy in cricket. Franchise cricket has expanded quickly, but this opportunity stood out because it is driven by aspiration and long-term thinking," Waugh said in a statement.

"In many ways, it marks a return to the game for me - but in a very different role. This is about helping uphold the standards and spirit of cricket while supporting its growth into Europe, which remains the game’s last great frontier," he added.

Maxwell said he is excited to own an Irish franchise.

"I am thrilled to be involved with the Irish Wolves, where we will build a culture of fun, family and playing without fear. The Irish people love their sport and Cricket Ireland have made huge strides in expanding the game over the last two decades.

"The Wolves and the European T20 Premier League will accelerate that growth and I feel super proud to be leading the franchise in its inaugural year," he said.

The ETPL is owned and operated through a joint venture between Rules Global ("Rules X") and Cricket Ireland, a full-time ICC member.

The league has been co-founded by Bachchan, along with other partners -- Saurav Banerjee, Priyanka Kaul and Dhiraj Malhotra.

(With PTI Inputs)