RCB gets new buyer ahead of IPL 2026, sold to.....
Published - 24 Mar 2026, 08:57 PM | Updated - 24 Mar 2026, 10:20 PM
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Another massive news event arrived just a few days ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). Royal Challengers Bengaluru is sold to the Birla group.
On the evening of March 24 (Tuesday), Harsh Goenka informed about the massive move through a short 'X' post. "RCB sold to Birlas! Great move," Harsh Goenka shared the information on social media at 7.39 PM.
As soon as he shared the information, cricket fans started to notice it at a rapid pace. Here, in the post, 'Birlas' can be a reference to the Aditya Birla Group, which is chaired and controlled by Kumar Mangalam Birla.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sold to the Birla group
According to Cricbuzz, Aditya Birla Group (ABG), The Times of India Group (ToI), Bolt Ventures (Bolt), and Blackstone's perpetual private equity strategy (BXPE, Blackstone) have jointly invested approximately INR 16,706 crore to claim the 100 percent ownership of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The acquisition involves both men's and women's teams at the IPL and WPL.
RCB sold to Birlas! Great move.
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) March 24, 2026
Aryaman Vikram Birla, Director, Aditya Birla Group, will act as the Chairman of the newly structured ownership, and Satyan Gajwani of The Times of India Group will serve as the Vice-President of the company.
David Blitzer, the founder of Bolt Ventures, and Viral Patel, CEO of BXPE, are the other individuals who are involved in the takeover.
Official statements from the new owners of the franchise
Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, said that IPL has become a powerhouse in the global sports industry and changed the financial aspect of Indian sports. With the entire ownership of RCB, they will try to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport.
"Over the past two 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."
"We are delighted to become custodians of this asset and committed to further building this extraordinary legacy," Kumar Mangalam Birla said in a statement.
"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," Aryaman Birla, the new chairman, said.
Rajasthan Royals' ownership sold for around $1.63 billion
Meanwhile, RR also has a new owner on board. A consortium led by US-based entrepreneur Kal Somani has become the new owner of the Rajasthan-based franchise.
It is known that the Somani-led consortium has pursued the ownership of Rajasthan Royals for a whopping price tag of around $1.63 billion (£1.2 billion).
Read More: Rinku Singh gets major role for KKR ahead of IPL 2026
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