Royal Challengers Bangalore Becomes Most Expensive IPL Team in History After $1.78 Billion Acquisition

New Delhi. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have set a new record by becoming the most expensive team in IPL history. RCB has been acquired for $1.78 billion (INR 16,706 crore).

With this sale, Bangalore has surpassed the record recently set by Rajasthan Royals as the most expensive team. According to a Cricbuzz report, both the men's and women's teams of RCB have been jointly purchased by the Aditya Birla Group, Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone Perpetual Private Equity. Previously, Rajasthan Royals held the record after being bought for $1.63 billion by a consortium led by Indian-origin American businessman Cal Somani.

Aryaman Birla, Former Cricketer, Takes New Leadership
With the new ownership of RCB, Aryaman Birla, Director of the Aditya Birla Group, has been appointed as the team's chairman. The 28-year-old Aryaman's profile is not limited to just being a businessman; he himself is a former first-class cricketer.

Aryaman, who has played Ranji Trophy for Madhya Pradesh, was picked by Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 IPL auction. After retiring from cricket, he became active in business and has quickly established a strong hold on the strategic decision-making process of the Aditya Birla Group.

Sixteen-Fold Leap in Valuation
RCB's business journey appears very interesting. In 2008, Vijay Mallya purchased the team for only $111.6 million (approximately INR 446 crore at that time). Looking at the price index and exchange rates of March 2026, RCB's brand value has increased approximately 16 times over a period of 19 years. United Spirits Limited took ownership in 2016, and exactly ten years later, new owners have come in.

New Challenges for the Champion Team

RCB is currently the reigning champion in both the IPL and the WPL (Women's Premier League). The team will start the 2026 season with new owners and new enthusiasm.

In the opening match of IPL 2026 on March 28, Bangalore will face Sunrisers Hyderabad. Following that, they will clash with Chennai Super Kings in Bangalore on April 5, and the schedule shows matches against Rajasthan in Guwahati on April 10 and Mumbai Indians in Mumbai on April 12.

Rajasthan Royals has seen an even greater surge in valuation, jumping 24 times. Rajasthan, which was sold for only $67 million in 2008, reaching $1.63 billion now confirms how powerful the global market for the IPL is. Although final approval from other regulatory bodies for this transaction is still pending, the acquisition of RCB and Rajasthan has astonished the global sports market.