BY GLASGOW COSMIC EDITORIAL
A team-by-team guide to every franchise Glasgow Cosmic faces in the inaugural 2026 ETPL season: squads, owners and the players to watch.
Glasgow Cosmic plays five other franchises in the ETPL's inaugural season, Edinburgh Castle Rockers (covered separately as Scotland's own derby), plus Amsterdam Flames, Belfast Wolves, Rotterdam Dockers, and Dublin Guardians. One theme runs through nearly all of them: this is a league where a marquee international player often owns a stake in the club he plays for, not just a hired name on the roster. Here's what to know about each one.
Amsterdam Flames
Captained by Mitchell Marsh, the Australian all-rounder, Amsterdam Flames pair him with Steve Smith, one of the best batters of his generation, and New Zealand's Michael Bracewell. It's a top order built on proven international class rather than raw depth, the kind of squad that can win a match inside a single session if Smith or Marsh get going.
Belfast Wolves
Belfast Wolves are co-owned by Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder known as one of the most destructive hitters in white-ball cricket, giving Ireland's second ETPL franchise its own version of the player-owner model Glasgow Cosmic runs with Matthew Hayden. Neither club has a confirmed home venue in its own city for 2026 either, the three confirmed ETPL venues, The Hague, Malahide in Dublin, and The Grange in Edinburgh, leave both Glasgow and Belfast without a true home ground in year one.
Rotterdam Dockers
Faf du Plessis, the former South Africa captain, both captains and co-owns Rotterdam Dockers, joined by fellow South Africans Heinrich Klaasen, Donovan Ferreira, and Anrich Nortje. That's a genuinely strong South African core through the middle order and pace attack, and another club run by the same captain-owner structure showing up across this inaugural season.
Dublin Guardians
Dublin Guardians split that model into two roles: Rahul Dravid, one of the most respected figures in Indian cricket history, is co-owner, while Ravichandran Ashwin, a leading spin bowler of his generation, joins as captain and mentor. Dublin Guardians is also the opponent most likely to host Glasgow Cosmic in front of a genuine home crowd, Malahide is one of only three confirmed 2026 venues, and it sits in Dublin.
The pattern worth watching all season
Four of Glasgow Cosmic's five confirmed 2026 opponents, plus Glasgow Cosmic itself, are built around a marquee player or coach with real ownership stake in the club: Hayden at Glasgow Cosmic, Maxwell at Belfast Wolves, du Plessis at Rotterdam Dockers, and Dravid at Dublin Guardians. That's an unusual structure for a brand-new league to adopt this consistently, and it means most of Glasgow Cosmic's matches this season carry an extra layer of stakes, the opposition's best player often has his own money riding on the result too.
Glasgow Cosmic's first ETPL season starts 26 August 2026. [Follow fixtures and squad news →]
Frequently Asked Questions
Who captains Amsterdam Flames?
Mitchell Marsh, alongside Steve Smith and Michael Bracewell in the top order.
Who owns Belfast Wolves?
Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder, co-owns the club.
Who captains Rotterdam Dockers?
Faf du Plessis, who also holds a co-ownership stake in the club.
Who owns Dublin Guardians?
Rahul Dravid is co-owner; Ravichandran Ashwin captains and mentors the side.
Which opponent is most likely to host Glasgow Cosmic at home?
Dublin Guardians. Malahide, their likely home venue, is one of only three confirmed 2026 ETPL venues.
Do all of Glasgow Cosmic's opponents have a player-owner?
Three of the five confirmed opponents do (Belfast Wolves, Rotterdam Dockers, Dublin Guardians), plus Glasgow Cosmic itself. Amsterdam Flames and Edinburgh Castle Rockers do not follow this model.
