IPL 2026: United Spirits sells RCB to Aditya Birla-led group for USD 1.78 bn

A consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (ABG) on Tuesday acquired a 100 percent equity stake in IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru for USD 1.78 billion (approximately Rs 16,706 crore) from its current owner United Spirits Limited (USL).

The consortium includes Blackstone’s perpetual private equity strategy, BXPE, led by CEO Viral Patel, Bolt Ventures owned by American investor David Blitzer, and media conglomerate Times of India.

United Spirits Limited confirmed the development in a statement, saying it had entered into definitive agreements for the sale of its entire stake in its wholly owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL).

“United Spirits Limited, pursuant to the meeting of its Board of Directors, today announced that it has entered into definitive agreements for the sale of the 100 percent equity stake held in its wholly owned subsidiary Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL) to a consortium,” the USL said in a statement.

The transaction includes both RCB’s men’s team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the women’s team in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

“RCSPL owns and operates Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchises that participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL). Upon completion of this transaction, the consortium will, through its ownership of RCSPL, acquire the rights to own and operate the IPL and WPL franchise,” the statement added.

The announcement concludes the strategic review of RCSPL initiated by USL on November 5, 2025.

USL, a subsidiary of UK-based Diageo, had been looking to exit the franchise as it was not central to its core business strategy.

Commenting on the transaction, Praveen Someshwar, MD and CEO, USL, said: “This transaction marks an important milestone for USL as we sharpen focus on our core beverage alcohol business to unlock its true potential. RCB has grown into the most prominent and commercially successful franchise in the IPL and WPL. We are excited for the future of RCB under the stewardship of the new owner. As Sports enters a new phase of growth in India & globally, we believe this is in the best interest of the franchise and our stakeholders.”

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said: “Over the past 2 decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket creating enormous value for India. RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers the Aditya Birla Group a distinctive platform to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport.”

As part of the agreement, Aryaman Vikram Birla, director at ABG, will serve as chairman of RCB, while Satyan Gajwani of Times of India will be deputy chairman.

Aryaman Birla said: “It is a privilege to come together in this partnership to shape the next phase of growth for RCB. This partnership brings together a deep understanding of sports, media and consumer businesses. Together, we will continue to Play Bold — on the pitch, in the community, and for the fans who make RCB what it is.”

Gajwani, Chairman, Times Internet Limited, said: “RCB is the reigning champion and the most popular brand in the IPL. We will build RCB into a global sporting institution, while remaining rooted in Bengaluru and Karnataka and its incredible fanbase.”

David Blitzer said: “RCB has a world-class fanbase, and the IPL is one of the great growth stories in global sport. Having invested in clubs and leagues around the world, I believe the opportunity at RCB stands out. We look forward to working alongside our partners and the BCCI to build on the franchise’s championship success.”

Viral Patel added: “We are excited to invest in RCB, building on Blackstone’s long-standing commitment to India. RCB stands out as one of the most popular sports franchises in the world with a powerful brand, a loyal fan base, and multiple avenues for growth.”

The transaction remains subject to approvals from the BCCI, IPL Governing Council, the WPL governing body, and the Competition Commission of India.

Earlier, IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals was acquired by a US-based consortium led by Kal Somani for USD 1.63 billion (approximately Rs 15,290 crore). The group includes Rob Walton of the Walmart family and the Hamp family of Ford Motor Company. Somani is an Arizona-based tech entrepreneur and founder of IntraEdge, Truyo.Ai and Academian.

Other bidders for the franchise included the Times Internet-led consortium, the Aditya Birla Group and the Mittal family led by ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal.

(With inputs from agencies)