Photo: Collected
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering adding at least two new franchises to the IPL from the 2028 season. News of this plan to expand the franchise-based tournament comes as rumours of player trades swirl ahead of the next edition.
According to a report by ‘Mint’, Pune and Vadodara have emerged as possible cities. However, the discussions are still at a preliminary stage, and it is not certain which cities will finally be chosen.
The IPL began in 2008 with eight teams. In 2011, the number of teams rose to 10 when ‘Pune Warriors India’ and ‘Kochi Tuskers Kerala’ were added. The Kochi-based team ceased operations after just one season owing to contractual complications. Pune also left the competition after the 2013 season.
Behind Vadodara’s name is Gujarat state’s effort to build itself into a major sporting hub. The city, about 110 kilometres from Ahmedabad, could benefit from the state government’s initiative to build international-standard sports infrastructure.
Ahmedabad’s sporting ambitions have also drawn attention following India’s interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics. In a government notice on 4 September, Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted plans to build international-standard sports facilities in the city. Pune, on the other hand, has past experience of hosting an IPL team.
From 2011 to 2013, the city’s team was the Sahara Group-owned ‘Pune Warriors India’. The team withdrew after a financial dispute with the BCCI over the franchise fee. The IPL returned to Pune in 2016, when ‘Rising Pune Supergiant’ represented the city for two seasons. The team had entered the competition after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) were banned. ‘Supergiant’ reached the 2017 final but lost to Mumbai Indians (MI) by just one run.
The valuation of each proposed franchise is expected to exceed $1 billion. ‘Mint’ reported that potential investors include European private equity firm ‘Permira’, West Asian sovereign wealth funds, Asian state-backed investment firms and India’s top business groups.
US-based ‘family offices’ (family investment firms) and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are also exploring investing here. Amid talks of league expansion, some investors are also considering buying minority stakes in the new teams.
The league was last expanded ahead of the 2022 edition, when the BCCI added two new franchises. The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group won ownership of the Lucknow team for $940 million. The Ahmedabad franchise was bought for $750 million by CVC Capital Partners, and was later named ‘Gujarat Titans’.
The RCB and Rajasthan Royals deals have further raised franchise valuations. Recent ownership transactions have strengthened expectations that new teams will also command high prices. ‘United Spirits’ has agreed to sell its team ‘Royal Challengers Bengaluru’ for $1.78 billion to a consortium comprising the Aditya Birla Group, Bennett, Coleman & Co, Blackstone and Bolt Ventures.
In another big deal, a consortium led by the Lakshmi Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla bought ownership of ‘Rajasthan Royals’ at a valuation of $1.65 billion. In addition, last year ‘Torrent Group’ bought a 67 per cent stake (majority share) in ‘Gujarat Titans’ for about $875 million.
However, the BCCI’s expansion plan will depend on commercial considerations and the availability of Indian players. How much broadcasters are willing to pay for extra matches will also play a big role, as two more teams would increase both the tournament’s overall schedule and the cost of media rights.
The current 2023-2027 media rights cycle has earned $6.2 billion, making the IPL one of the world’s most valuable sporting competitions on a per-match basis. If the league’s commercial growth continues, this figure could be surpassed in the next cycle starting in 2028.
Background
According to an ESPNcricinfo report from April 2025, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal said at the time that a 94-match season from 2028 was being considered, but noted there were no immediate plans to add new teams. In his words, 10 teams are enough for now.
By the numbers
According to the same report, the IPL has run on a 74-match format since 2022, following the addition of Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.
Sources
Original report: Bangladesh Pratidin
Background sources: ESPNcricinfo, April 2025
