NEW DELHI: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise seems to be set to be bought earlier than the beginning of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) version. In a letter to the Bombay Inventory Alternate, United Spirits Restricted (USL) – the Indian arm of Diageo PLC – has acknowledged in step with SEBI disclosure obligations that USL is initiating a strategic evaluate of its investments in Royal Challengers Sports activities Pvt Restricted (RCSPL), an entirely owned subsidiary of the corporate.The method shall be initiated for each males’s and ladies’s groups of RCB and USL has additional talked about within the disclosure that it expects the method to conclude by March 31, 2026. Praveen Someshwar, the MD and CEO of USL, has stated, “the RCSPL has been a useful and strategic asset for USL. Nonetheless, it’s non-core to our alcohol-beverage enterprise.”

Someshwar additional stated that this step is to strengthen USL and Diageo’s dedication to proceed reviewing its India enterprise portfolio to allow sustained supply of long run worth to all stakeholders whereas additionally retaining RCSPL’s finest curiosity in thoughts.As of November 2025, the RCB franchise finds itself caught in the midst of an unpleasant controversy within the aftermath of an unlucky stampede which occurred exterior the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4. The group went uncontrolled throughout the franchise’s maiden IPL title celebrations and the matter snowballed right into a political storm.Ever for the reason that incident, it has been extremely speculated that USL and Diageo wouldn’t be averse to parting with the franchise.Regardless of successful only one title within the IPL, RCB has been amongst three of probably the most useful IPL franchises largely for 2 causes – the presence of Virat Kohli, considered one of India’s largest cricket stars and the huge fandom it has managed to create within the final decade. Digitally, RCB has been probably the most actively managed cricketing property within the nation. The franchise has had a very good displaying within the Girls’s Premier League (WPL), too, as they gained the 2024 version.It’s additional learnt that Diageo and USL have appointed Citibank to work on the complete course of.