New USA women's T20 franchise tournament mooted

England spinner Sophie Ecclestone has played in the first two editions of the Women's Premier League in India

A new women's T20 franchise tournament in the United States featuring the world's best players could be launched in the near future.

BBC Sport understands preliminary talks have taken place involving stakeholders in the US over its feasibility.

The inaugural season of Major League Cricket (MLC), a men's T20 tournament in the US, took place in 2023.

Discussions are said to be at a very early stage and no specific time frame has yet been established.

The US is preparing to co-host the men's T20 World Cup with the West Indies and the opening match will be played in Dallas on Sunday at 01:30 BST.

Cricket is also set to feature at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and influential figures in American cricket feel there is a unique window to grow domestic interest in the women's game.

The US women's national cricket team - who have never featured at a major International Cricket Council (ICC) event - are likely to qualify for the Olympic tournament as the host nation.

A number of franchise owners in MLC are understood to be open to the prospect of developing a women's team alongside their existing men's sides.

MI New York - MLC's inaugural winners - are owned by Mukesh Ambani, whose wife Nita has been a prominent advocate of women's cricket.

It is unclear at this stage what impact the plans would have on the international commitments for England's women's players, and potentially The Hundred.

Earlier this year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) pledged an extra £800,000 to the eight women's franchises, ensuring the top players will earn up to £50,000.

That figure is considerably less than the unprecedented salaries earned by the most in demand female cricketers drafted for the Women's Premier League (WPL) in India.

Nat Sciver-Brunt (£320,000) and spinner Sophie Ecclestone (£180,000) were England's best paid players at the tournament.

English men's cricket has already felt the impact of MLC's emergence.

Opener Jason Roy decided to cancel his incremental white-ball deal with the ECB - worth £60,000-£70,000 - to play in the inaugural season of MLC.

Roy has been retained by his franchise the Los Angeles Knight Riders for 2024.

MLC has signed up more high-profile names for the forthcoming season - which starts the week after the T20 World Cup final - including Australia trio Steve Smith, Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell.