The craze for the Indian Premier League shows no signs of slowing down, especially after the record sale of the Rajasthan Royals to Kal Somani, giving him 100% ownership, the total valuation of the Royals stands at (₹15,000–₹15,300 crore).
Meanwhile, another IPL team is set to break records, as reports suggest that a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group, along with David Blitzer’s Bolt Ventures, the Times of India Group, and Blackstone, is set to acquire the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise for approximately $1.8 billion. Driven by United Spirits Ltd, the deal positions RCB as one of the most valuable IPL teams, rivaling top global sports franchises. Following their maiden IPL title last year, RCB is now set to be picked up by the Aditya Birla Group.
The Aditya Birla Group, a US$65 billion Fortune 500 company operating in over 41 countries under Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, is now the front-runner in the race for one of the IPL’s marquee franchises. The move signals a strong push into the sports business for the conglomerate.
Reports suggest the franchise was valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, with the sale expected to be finalized anytime this week and ownership potentially transferring by September 2026. Previously, RCB was ranked as the top IPL brand in 2025, with a valuation of $269 million.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore was originally purchased by Vijay Mallya’s UB Group for $111.6 million USD in 2008, making it the second-most expensive team in the inaugural IPL auction. The acquisition was structured for 2016–2026. Following Mallya’s departure from India, control of the franchise fully transitioned to United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of the British multinational beverage company Diageo.
Two other suitors made it to the final leg, A consortium led by Manipal Hospitals’ Dr. Ranjan Pai, US private equity firm KKR, and Singapore investment major Temasek. A combination of Swedish private equity firm EQT and Premji Invest, the investment office backed by Wipro founder Azim Premji.