The year saw the ownership of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) changing hands in two landmark transactions., which underscore growing institutional confidence in the IPL
The business value of the Indian Premier League has risen to $20.6 billion up 11.4 per cent year-on-year, as per a report released by the global investment bank, Houlihan Lokey, Inc. This is the second consecutive year of double-digit growth. The T20 League’s standalone brand value increased by 10.3 per cent year-on-year to $4.3 billion, adding more than $1.1 billion in value since 2025. The report said this reinforces the league’s position as one of the world’s most valuable sports brand and on a per-match basis ranks just behind NFL.The year saw the ownership of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) changing hands in two landmark transactions., which underscore growing institutional confidence in the IPL, the report noted. It added that leading global investors increasingly recognize the league’s combination of audience scale, predictable revenue streams, and long-term commercial growth potential.While RCB was acquired by a consortium comprising Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, Aditya Birla Group, and Times of India Group at a reported valuation of $1.78 billion, the most expensive single IPL franchise transaction in history, Rajasthan Royals was acquired by the Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla at a reported valuation of $1.65 billion.“Cricket’s evolution into a globally owned, institutionally backed asset class has accelerated further in 2026, with the IPL continuing to redefine the global sports landscape. What the market confirmed this year, through landmark franchise transactions, is the extent to which the league can attract precisely the caliber of global, institutional, and strategic capital it was built to draw.Franchise valuations have reached new highs, private capital participation has accelerated, and the league’s commercial ecosystem continues to diversify,”said Harsh Talikoti, Director at Houlihan Lokey’s Financial and Valuation Advisory business.“ The IPL represents a unique convergence of sport, media, and consumer opportunity, underpinned by strong revenue visibility, disciplined cost structures, and an expanding global audience. These latest transactions further demonstrate the confidence investors continue to place in the long-term value creation opportunity,” he added.Meanwhile Royal Challengers Bengaluru was ranked as the most valuable franchise with a brand value of $312 million, up 16 per cent year-on-year, becoming the first franchise to cross the $ 300 million-mark. “ The franchise’s valuation reflects the compounding impact of sustained on-field success, exceptional fan engagement, and a digitally mature commercial ecosystem that continues to set the benchmark in the league,”the report added.Mumbai Indians was ranked second with a brand value of $264 million, up 9.1 per cent year-on-year, despite finishing ninth in IPL 2026 as it maintained strong brand resilience. Kolkata Knight Riders was ranked third at $245 million, up 7.9 per cent . Chennai Super Kings was ranked fourth with a brand value of $244 million, recording a growth 3.8 per cent year-on-year.While Sunrisers Hyderabad ranked fifth with a brand value of $168 million (+9.1%), Rajasthan Royals was ranked sixth at $161.0 million (+10.3%), benefiting from both a playoff appearance and the emergence of teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, alongside the landmark ownership transaction. Punjab Kings ($158.0 million) was ranked at 7 position, Gujarat Titans at $157.0 million was ranked at 8 th position. Delhi Capitals was ranked ninth and Lucknow Super Giants were ranked tenth in terms of brand valuation.Meanwhile the report noted that this year’s edition also reflected a structural shift in media consumption, combining record digital scale with a clear divergence between accelerating digital and declining linear television viewership. “This ongoing migration from broadcast to digital is reshaping monetization dynamics, enabling premium, data-driven partnerships such as a three-year association with Google Gemini, as total league revenues surpassed $1.8 billion,”the report noted.Published on July 29, 2026
