RCB put on sale, new owners expected to be announced before March 31, 2026

According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Diageo announced that it had begun a “strategic review” of its investment in RCB through Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), the entity that owns both the men’s and women’s teams. The announcement was made in a filing with India’s market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), on Wednesday. RCSPL is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Spirits Ltd (USL), which in turn is controlled by Diageo. The review process is expected to conclude by March 31, 2026, after which RCB could have a new owner.

"RCSPL has been a valuable and strategic asset for USL; however, it is non-core to our alcobev (alcohol and beverages) business," said Praveen Someshwar, Managing Director & CEO of United Spirits, in the SEBI filing. "This step reinforces USL and Diageo's commitment to reviewing our India portfolio to ensure sustained long-term value for stakeholders, while keeping RCSPL's best interests in mind."

While rumours of a possible sale had circulated for months, they initially surfaced after the horrifying stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade in June, a day after their maiden IPL title triumph. It was around that time that speculation intensified.