According to an official statement, the ECA, which held its annual conference in Istanbul last week, has invited member nations to submit hosting applications by January 31, 2026, with final decisions anticipated in February. In 2026, national club champions from all around the continent will compete in the European Champions Trophy, a T20I tournament organised by the European Cricket Association.
With a quorum formally confirmed, the Congress moved forward as a fully legitimate and functional assembly with representatives from the 13 member national federations throughout Europe. Governance elections, competition planning, and regulatory framework revisions were on the agenda.
In order to help member federations maintain their financial viability, the ECA will investigate the viability of launching T10 events in 2026. According to the ECA statement, which Cricbuzz cited, “The Marketing Commission/Competition Commission’s recommendations will be presented at the Executive Committee meeting in Q1 2026.”
The ECA also acknowledged the T10 format’s expanding worldwide commercial potential throughout the conference.
Yousuf Gilani of Norway was elected as the first vice president of the ECA, and Gabriel Marin of Romania was elected president in the most recent elections. Additionally elected as vice-presidents were Indika Thilan Perera (Malta), Mohammad Bilal Zalmani (Austria), and Gurumurty Palani (France).
The Board currently consists of 11 members in full, as required by Article 7 of the European Cricket Association Articles of Association. Nicolas Fournarakis (Greece), Nikolay Kolev (Bulgaria), Abdul Shakoor (Romania), Nahit Sahin (Turkiye), Sarah Gomersall (Jersey), and Luca Bruno Malaspina (Italy) are the recently elected board members.
“The European Cricket Association has determined its long-term strategic goals and set up its internal governance structure for the next four years. The European Championships for men and women, as well as the Under-19 European Championship, which is a major strategic objective, are part of its core competition structure for the upcoming three years, according to Marin.
Another crucial goal was also emphasised by the Congress: grassroots growth and involving local communities in the promotion of cricket as a sport as well as a means of education, integration, and unity. We are eager to establish the ECA as a sustained success in the European athletic scene,” he continued.
India
