EUT20 Belgium

EUT20 Belgium
CountriesBelgium
AdministratorBelgian Cricket Federation
Destino Legends Sports LLC
HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
FormatTwenty20
First edition2026
Next edition2027
Tournament formatRound-robin and playoffs
Number of teams6
TVList of broadcasters

The EUT20 Belgium is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in Belgium, organised by Destino Legends Sports LLC in partnership with Belgian Cricket Federation.[1] Established in 2025, the league was created to professionalize the sport in mainland Europe and provide a high-performance platform for local Belgian talent to compete alongside global international stars.[2]

The league features six franchise teams representing major Belgian cities.[3][4] The inaugural season is scheduled to take place in Brussels from 6 to 14 June 2026.[5][6][7]

Background and history

Cricket in Belgium has historically been an Associate-level sport with a growing grassroots base.[8] In October 2025, following the success of franchise models globally, Cricket Belgium signed a long-term agreement with Destino Legends Sports LLC to launch a premier franchise competition.[9]

Unlike previous domestic tournaments, EUT20 was designed as a hub for European cricket, utilizing Belgium's central geographic location to attract players from both Full Member and Associate nations.[2] Former England World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan was appointed as the Global Brand Ambassador to provide international credibility and strategic oversight.[1][5][10]

Foundation of EUT20 Belgium

In late 2025, the league invited international investors for franchise ownership.[2] Six cities were selected based on their sporting infrastructure and local cricket communities: Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, and Liege.[5]

The league's primary mission is the (2 - 4 - 4 - 6) development model, which mandates the inclusion of local Belgian players in every starting XI to ensure the long-term growth of the Belgium national cricket team.[1]

Tournament structure

The EUT20 Belgium follows a standard franchise T20 format:[1]

  • League Stage: A single round-robin format where each team plays the others once.
  • Playoffs: The top four teams qualify for a knockout stage, consisting of Qualifier 1, an Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final.

Player acquisition

Teams acquire players through a centralized player draft.[11] Each 18-member squad must follow strict roster requirements:[2]

  • Domestic: 4 Belgian players (Minimum 2 in the starting XI).[1][4]
  • Associate: 4 players from ICC Associate nations.[2]
  • International: 4 active Full Member international players.[3][6]
  • Veterans: 6 Full Member players who have not played international cricket in the last two years.[1]

Teams

The league comprises six franchises based in major urban centers across Belgium.[1]

All 6 teams shown on the map of Belgium, indicating the provinces/cities they are based in.
Team City Debut Captain Head coach Owner(s) Ref.
Antwerp Anchors Antwerp, Antwerp Province 2026 TBD Donovan Miller [12] Anchor Sports & Zaheer Khan [13],[14]
JB Bruges Bruges, West Flanders TBD Shivnarine Chanderpaul [15] Dream Sports [16],[17]
Liège Red Lions Liège, Liège Province TBD Herschelle Gibbs [18] Tez Sports [19]
Akcel United Brussels Brussels, Brussels-Capital TBD TBD Akcel Group [20]
Ghent Bangla Tigers Ghent, East Flanders TBD TBD TBD
Leuven Leuven, Flemish Brabant TBD TBD TBD

Finals

Season Final Player of the season
Winner Result Runner-up Venue
2026 To be played TBD

Performance by team

Seasons

Season
(No. of teams) 		2026
(6)
Antwerp Anchors TBD
JB Bruges TBD
Liège Red Lions TBD
Akcel United Brussels TBD
Ghent TBD
Leuven TBD
  • Teams have been listed alphabetically.
  •   C: Champions
  •   RU: Runner-up
  •   PO: Team qualified for the playoff stage of the competition

All time standings

Teams Appearances Best result Statistics
Total First Latest Played Won Lost NR Win%
Antwerp Anchors TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
JB Bruges TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Liège Red Lions TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Akcel United Brussels TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Ghent TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD
Leuven TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

Media and broadcasting

The league has targeted a global audience, focusing on Europe and the Indian subcontinent.[1] Broadcast partnerships for the 2026 season include negotiations with major sports networks to ensure coverage in multiple languages, including English, Dutch, and French.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "EUT20 Belgium: All You Need To Know About The New European T20 Tournament". Wisden. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Hasaranga, Mathews and van der Dussen among first names registered for new Belgium-based EUT20 franchise league". Associate Chronicles. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  3. ^ a b "Senior Sri Lanka duo follows South Africa star to sign up for Belgium-based European T20 league". Wisden. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b "England Stars Vince and Hales Sign Up for New Belgian T20 League". Crictips. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  5. ^ a b c "Former No.2 ODI batter signs up for Belgium-based European T20 league". Wisden. 10 January 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b "James Vince and Alex Hales among players listed for inaugural EUT20 tournament in Belgium". BBC Sport. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Proteas captain to play in Belgium T20 league". The South African. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  8. ^ "Belgium Cricket Profile". ICC. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  9. ^ "The BCF Executive Committee (Board of Directors)". Belgian Cricket Federation. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Vince and Hales among players listed for inaugural EUT20 tournament in Belgium". The Global Herald. 6 February 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  11. ^ "EUT20 Player Draft set for 24th March". Associate Chronicles. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
  12. ^ "The Antwerp Anchors welcome Donovan Miller as Head Coach for the inaugural Belgium League". Antwerp Anchors. Retrieved 14 March 2026 – via Instagram.
  13. ^ "Meet the Antwerp Anchors officially joining EU T20 Belgium, proudly owned by Anchor Sports". EUT20 Belgium. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 12 March 2026 – via Facebook.
  14. ^ "Zaheer Khan is Antwerp Anchors co-owner in EUT20 Belgium League". Sportz Power. 18 March 2026. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  15. ^ "We're excited to welcome Head Coach Shivnarine Chanderpaul to the Bruges family". JB Bruges. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 6 March 2026 – via Instagram.
  16. ^ "Janakpur Bolts acquire franchise in Belgium's EU T20 League". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  17. ^ "एनपिएल टोली जनकपुर बोल्ट्सले लियो बेल्जियमको इयू टी-२० खेल्ने टोलीको स्वामित्व" [NPL team Janakpur Bolts acquires ownership of the Belgian EUT20 cricket franchise.]. Seto Pati (in Nepali). 4 March 2026. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  18. ^ "The game knows his brilliance. The world remembers his milestones". Liège Red Lions. Retrieved 13 March 2026 – via Instagram.
  19. ^ "Roar Begins. Legacy Ignites. Presenting the fierce pride of EUT20 LIEGE RED LIONS". EUT20 Belgium. 1 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026 – via Facebook.
  20. ^ "Introducing AKCEL United Brussels—the ultimate convergence of Formula motorsports precision and T20 intensity". EUT20 Belgium. Retrieved 18 March 2026 – via Instagram.
  • Official EUT20 Belgium Website
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