Aditya Birla Group-led consortium acquires Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a $1.76 billion deal

RCB sold to a consortium for ₹16,600 crore ahead of IPL 2026, acquiring rights to IPL and WPL franchises.

United Spirits Limited (USL), the Indian arm of London-based Diageo, stated on Tuesday (March 24, 2026) that it had fully divested its stake in Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd. (RCSPL) to a consortium comprising Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and New York-based Blackstone’s private equity strategy, BXPE, in an all-cash deal worth $1.76 billion.

According to a regulatory filing made by USL, RCSPL owns and operates the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Upon completion of this transaction, the consortium would, through its ownership of RCSPL, acquire the rights to own and operate the IPL and WPL outfits. The RCB teams are the reigning champions in both IPL and WPL.

The women’s team won its second trophy early last month while the men’s team will begin its title defence this Saturday (March 28, 2026).

Speculation that RCB would be up for sale has been rife since the stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4, 2025, that killed 11 people during the franchise’s title-winning celebrations. Tuesday’s announcement concludes the strategic review of RCSPL that was initiated by USL last November.

The transaction is subject to satisfactory completion of customary closing conditions and legal, regulatory and other approvals, including from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Competition Commission of India.