ECA to Start Euro T20 Club Champions Trophy

ECA to Start Euro T20 Club Champions Trophy

The European Cricket Association (ECA) is all set to launch the European Champions Trophy in 2026. It will be a T20I tournament that unites national club champions from all over Europe.

The ECA, which held its annual meeting last week in Istanbul, has requested member countries to send in hosting proposals by January 31, 2026. Final decisions are expected to be made in February, according to a statement from the ECA.

The European Cricket Association (ECA) said that the T10 format has strong business potential worldwide. They plan to study the possibility of starting T10 tournaments in 2026 to help member countries earn more money. The Marketing and Competition Commissions will share their suggestions at the Executive Committee meeting in early 2026.

Representatives from all 13 member countries attended the Congress. Since the required number of members was present, the meeting was officially valid. The agenda included elections, planning competitions, and updating rules.

In the elections, Gabriel Marin from Romania was chosen as president. Yousuf Gilani from Norway became the first vice-president. Gurumurty Palani (France), Mohammad Bilal Zalmani (Austria), and Indika Thilan Perera (Malta) were also elected as vice-presidents.

Following Article 7 of the ECA’s rules, the Board grew to 11 members. The new members are Nicolas Fournarakis (Greece), Nikolay Kolev (Bulgaria), Abdul Shakoor (Romania), Nahit Sahin (Turkiye), Sarah Gomersall (Jersey), and Luca Bruno Malaspina (Italy).

The ECA has now set up its leadership for the next four years and defined its long-term goals. It has planned the main competitions for the next three years, including European Championships for men and women, and the Under-19 European Championship as a key target.

The Congress also stressed the importance of grassroots cricket getting local communities involved and using cricket as a way to support education, integration, and unity. President Marin said the aim is to make the ECA a lasting success in Europe’s sports scene.