By Admin 
IPL 2026: This is big news for the fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The current owner of the team, Diageo, has officially announced that it is going to sell its IPL franchise. This step will be taken before the IPL 2026 season, and the company aims to complete the deal by March 31, 2026.
Now the owner of RCB will change
Diageo informed the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Wednesday, November 5 that it has initiated a “strategic review” of its subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RCSPL). The same company owns RCB and manages both the Men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL) teams.
Praveen Someshwar, CEO of Diageo’s Indian business United Spirits Ltd (USL), said, “RCSPL is a valuable and strategic asset for us, but it is not a part of our core spirits business. We are taking this step to focus on our core business in India.”
The company has also revealed that it has started talks with potential buyers. According to a report by Bloomberg News in June, the valuation of this deal could be up to $ 2 billion (about Rs 16,600 crore).
Meaning of team value can change in IPL
The sale of RCB can create a new record in the valuation of IPL teams. Today IPL is not just a cricket league but has become a global sports brand. Its teams are now considered at par with international leagues like NFL and EPL.
If RCB is sold for this estimated amount, the deal will be one of the most expensive team sales ever. Recently many big companies and industrial houses have shown interest in investing in IPL franchise.
Earlier Vijay Mallya was the owner
RCB was started in 2008 and at that time the team owner was Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines Limited. But after the closure of Kingfisher in 2012, Diageo bought United Spirits Limited and also took ownership of RCB.
Why does Diageo want to sell now?
Diageo wants to focus more on its liquor brands like Royal Challenge, Smirnoff, and Johnnie Walker in India. Additionally, the Indian government has recently increased its crackdown on the promotion of alcohol and tobacco brands in sports. In such a situation, the company wants to distance itself from franchises like RCB.
Who will be the new owner?
After the sale of RCB, there is speculation on who will be the new owner of the team. The names of Adar Poonawala, JSW Group and some foreign investors are coming to the fore. Whoever becomes the new owner, he will not only increase the brand value of the team but will also usher in a new era for RCB.