ROYAL CHALLENGERS SPORTS Pvt. Ltd. (RCSPL), the owner of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL), reported an 8% year-on-year increase in revenue to ₹545 crore in FY26, buoyed by the commercial impact of the franchise’s historic maiden IPL title and continued growth across sponsorship, broadcasting and fan engagement.
The financial performance comes amid a landmark ownership transition, with Diageo-owned United Spirits agreeing to sell the franchise to a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group in a deal valued at ₹16,663 crore (approximately $1.78 billion).
The revenue growth follows one of the most successful years in RCB’s history. After years of near misses, the men’s team clinched its first IPL championship, significantly boosting the franchise’s brand value and commercial appeal. The success also complemented the growing profile of the RCB women’s team, which has emerged as one of the leading franchises in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), strengthening the club’s position as a multi-team sports property.
The franchise’s improved financial performance reflects the IPL’s robust commercial ecosystem, where revenues are driven by a combination of central media rights distributions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), sponsorship income, ticket sales, hospitality, merchandise and digital fan engagement. Winning the IPL title is expected to further enhance RCB’s ability to command premium sponsorship deals and expand merchandising opportunities in the coming seasons.
The financial update comes as United Spirits, a subsidiary of Diageo, progresses with the sale of its entire stake in Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd. The company announced in March that it had entered into definitive agreements to sell RCSPL to a consortium comprising the Aditya Birla Group, The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures and Blackstone’s perpetual private equity strategy (BXPE) for ₹16,663 crore in an all-cash transaction. The deal includes ownership of both the men’s IPL franchise and the women’s WPL franchise and remains subject to final approvals from the BCCI and other regulatory authorities.
As part of the new ownership structure, Aryaman Vikram Birla has been named Chairman of the franchise, while Satyan Gajwani of The Times of India Group will serve as Vice Chairman. The consortium has indicated its intention to build RCB into a global sports brand by leveraging expertise across sports investment, media and private equity.
United Spirits’ parent company, Diageo, has classified Royal Challengers Sports as a discontinued operation in its FY26 financial statements following the sale announcement, allowing the company to sharpen its focus on its core beverage alcohol business. The divestment forms part of Diageo’s broader strategy to optimise its portfolio while reducing debt and improving capital allocation.
