The Indian Premier League’s business value has climbed to US$20.6 billion in 2026, up 11.4% year on year, according to the latest IPL Brand Valuation Study by Houlihan Lokey. The league’s stand-alone brand is now valued at US$4.3 billion, a 10.3% jump from last year, with more than US$1.1 billion added to brand value since 2023.
The report flags two landmark franchise sales as defining moments for the season: Royal Challengers Bengaluru changed hands to a consortium including Blackstone, Bolt Ventures, Aditya Birla Group and Times of India Group at a valuation of US$1.78 billion, while Rajasthan Royals was acquired by the Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla at US$1.65 billion.
Viewing habits also shifted decisively this season. JioStar recorded a cumulative reach of 1.06 billion screens, with connected TV viewership up 26% year on year even as linear TV ratings fell 18.8%. Total league revenues crossed US$1.8 billion.
Houlihan Lokey’s Harsh Talikoti noted that cricket is increasingly being treated as an institutionally backed asset class, with franchise valuations, private capital participation and commercial diversification all accelerating. RCB co-owner Satyan Gajwani pointed to the gap between IPL’s audience attention and its monetisation compared to leagues like the NFL, while Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia framed IPL teams as long-term sports and entertainment businesses rather than seasonal cricket outfits.
RCB topped the franchise rankings at US$312 million, ahead of Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.
