![BCCI Opens Bids for India Cricket Team’s Lead Sponsorship [AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1756803825624_BCCI.jpg?type=hq)
BCCI Opens Bids for India Cricket Team’s Lead Sponsorship [AFP]
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opened the bidding process for a new lead sponsor for India’s national cricket teams. This comes after Dream11, the fantasy sports platform, ended its contract early due to the new Online Gaming Bill passed by Parliament.
The sudden exit has left BCCI scrambling for a new sponsor ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, as the men’s team needs jerseys printed in time.
BCCI Opens Doors To Global Brands For Team India Jersey Sponsorship
In an official statement, BCCI invited reputed companies to submit bids for the “National Team Lead Sponsor Rights.” Interested firms must buy a formal document called the “Invitation for Expression of Interest” (IEOI) by paying a non-refundable fee of ₹5 lakh plus tax. The key dates are:
- September 2, 2025: IEOI released
- September 12, 2025: Last date to buy IEOI
- September 16, 2025: Last date to submit bids
To qualify, bidders must meet strict rules. Companies must either have an average turnover or net worth of at least ₹300 crore over the last three years. They must also be “fit and proper,” meaning no criminal records, frauds, conflicts of interest, or links to financial defaults.
Certain businesses are not allowed to bid. Companies in online gambling, betting, money gaming, cryptocurrency, alcohol, tobacco, or pornography are banned. In addition, firms already sponsoring BCCI in specific sectors like sportswear, banking, insurance, and beverages cannot bid again for those categories.
Each bidder must apply directly, no surrogate or proxy branding is allowed. For example, a company cannot use a front brand to represent another banned entity.
Dream11’s deal with BCCI was originally worth ₹358 crore over three years, but it ended almost a year early due to the new gaming law. BCCI hopes to secure a new sponsor quickly. While there might be delays before the Asia Cup, the board is confident it will finalize a deal before the Women’s World Cup, starting on September 30, 2025.
This sponsorship deal is one of the most prestigious in Indian sports, as the lead sponsor’s logo appears on the jerseys of all Indian cricket teams, men’s, women’s, and youth sides. For many companies, it’s a golden opportunity to be associated with India’s biggest sport.
