Royal Challengers Bengaluru Officially Put Up for Sale; Diageo Targets 2026 Completion
It is official: the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise has been put on sale. The team’s owner, Diageo, has formally initiated the sale process for both its men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL) teams and is targeting completion of the sale by March 31, 2026.
The ‘Strategic Review’
The confirmation came directly from Diageo in a communication to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Wednesday, November 5.
The UK-based company has framed the move as a “Strategic Review of the Investment Royal Challengers Sports Pvt Ltd (RCSPL).” RCSPL is the business entity that holds the ownership of the RCB franchises and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of United Spirits Ltd (USL), which is the Indian subsidiary of Diageo.
In its official disclosure, USL stated it is “initiating a strategic review of the investment in its wholly owned subsidiary, RCSPL.”
Why the Sale is Happening Now
Praveen Someswar, the Managing Director and CEO of USL, commented on the decision, emphasizing that the move is part of a broader business strategy.
“RCSPL has been a valuable and strategic asset for USL,” Someswar said. “However, it is non-core to our alcobev business.”
He added that the decision “reinforces USL’s and Diageo’s commitment to continue reviewing its India enterprise portfolio” to ensure long-term value for its stakeholders.
Talk of RCB being for sale has been circulating in the public domain, especially following the tragic June 4 stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which led to 11 deaths and multiple injuries. The company has since been under pressure from shareholders regarding its presence in a non-core portfolio. It is also known that a merchant bank has been engaged to oversee the sale process.
Timeline and Potential Buyers
The company’s disclosure, made under SEBI regulations, included a key point: “It is expected the process will conclude by March 31, 2026.”
While the announcement was described as “technically worded” and could be interpreted as a full or partial sale, experts familiar with such matters suggest that setting a specific completion date implies that USL/Diageo may already be close to a deal.
Several prominent names have been previously reported as potential interested parties, including:
* A private investment company based in the US
* The Adani Group
* The Jindals of JSW Group
* Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India
* Delhi-based Ravi Jaipuria of Devyani International Group
Source: Cricbuzz