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Rajasthan Royals join RCB in seeking new owners ahead of IPL 2026 season; Goenka reveals

Rajgeeta Yadav

Rajasthan Royals up for sale [Source: AFP]Rajasthan Royals up for sale [Source: AFP]

Rajasthan Royals (RR) have reportedly joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on the list of IPL teams that may soon be sold. This comes just after rumours that RCB, the 2025 IPL champions, could change hands before the 2026 season. 

Now, according to businessman Harsh Goenka, brother of Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka, the 2008 champions Rajasthan Royals are also looking for new owners.

Harsh Goenka confirms RR are looking for new owners 

On Thursday, Harsh Goenka posted on X that not one but two IPL teams, RCB and RR, are up for sale. He suggested that current owners want to take advantage of the high team valuations.

“I hear, not one, but two IPL teams are now up for sale- RCB and RR. It seems clear that people want to cash in the rich valuations today. So two teams for sale and 4/5 possible buyers! Who will be the successful buyers- will it be from Pune, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru or USA?"

Royals are currently owned mainly by the Royals Sports Group, which holds 65% of the franchise. Other known minority investors include Lachlan Murdoch and RedBird Capital Partners.

Reports have also suggested that issues with the Rajasthan Cricket Association may push RR to move their home matches out of Jaipur, with Pune emerging as a possible venue for IPL 2026.

Meanwhile, RCB’s ownership situation has been in the news for months. On November 5, global beverage giant Diageo confirmed that it has started the process of selling the team. 

Earlier, businessman Adar Poonawalla had hinted on X that RCB might be up for sale. Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India, comes from a family worth over $20 billion, according to Forbes.

Diageo stated in its stock exchange filing that the sale process is being carried out under SEBI rules and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026. 

According to reports, a consortium involving Poonawalla, along with entrepreneurs Nikhil Kamath and T.V. Mohandas Pai, may bid for RCB. Forbes estimates put Pai’s net worth at $2.8 billion and Kamath’s at $2.5 billion.

Notably, RCB were valued at just over $1 billion in 2022, but their first-ever IPL title win in 2025 is likely to push that number much higher. Cricbuzz also reported that Diageo may be expecting close to $2 billion for the team, a figure that has sparked debate among investors.