IPL Winning Team Officially Sold Ahead Of 2026 Season

Rajasthan Royals and RCB - (Source: AFP/X.com)

In a significant development, Rajasthan Royals have successfully completed a shift in ownership ahead of IPL 2026. Notably, US based entrepreneur Kal Somani has outbid others to purchase 100% stakes for 2008 IPL winners Rajasthan Royals.

The franchise was in talks for a change in ownership for a long time and several conglomerates had shown interest in Rajasthan Royals.

Rajasthan Royals Sold For 15000 crores

A report from Times of India mentioned that Kal Somani-backed group placed a whopping bid of $1.63 billion (£1.2 billion) which roughly is equivalent to around 15000 crore Indian rupees. For the unversed, Manoj Badale held a majority stake in the Rajasthan Royals group before this take over.

Also, the deal would be effective after IPL 2026 and Manoj Badale would continue be with the team till the end of the upcoming season. Meanwhile, the new owner expressed their delight with the deal. 

For the unversed, the two parties were in constant negotiations for the past six months and finally the deal is completed with 100% takeover.

Who Is Kal Somani, Rajasthan Royals' New Owner?

For the unversed, Kal Somani, the new RR owner,  had invested in Rajasthan Royals back in 2021 when he bought a minority stake. Somani has headed businesses in the fields of sports technology, data privacy, AI governance, and education. Global behemoths like IntraEdge, Truyo, Truyo AI, and Academian were founded by Somani.

Back in 2021, Somani had expressed his interest in the Royals group, hinting at buying further stakes. “We see huge potential with this investment, and we are excited for the future of the IPL”, Somani had said in 2021. 

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Not just Somani, but American businessman Rob Walton of the Walmart family and the Hamp family, who own the majority of the Detroit Lions in the NFL, will have ownership in RR after IPL 2026.

Also, it is not Somani's first-ever sport investment as he is the co-owner of Motor City Golf Club and being an early investor in TMRW Sports and TGL Golf League.

History Of Rajasthan Royals' Ownership In IPL

2008: Original franchise purchase

Rajasthan Royals were one of the original eight IPL teams. The franchise was bought for $67 million by Emerging Media.  It was the lowest-priced franchise in the original IPL auction. However, now with a 15,000 crore deal, they are the costliest team in the IPL history.

2009–2010: Manoj Badale increased control

By 2009, Manoj Badale acquired 50.3% stake in Rajasthan Royals. Around that time, Emerging Media holders, the Suresh Chellaram family, Lachlan Murdoch, and Raj Kundra-family also bought stakes in the group.

2021: Big restructuring and fresh investors

In January 2021, RR said Manoj Badale increased its shareholding to over 50%. Then in June 2021, RedBird Capital Partners bought a 15% stake, while Emerging Media increased its holding from 51% to 65%

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Next In Line For Sale

Not just RR, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru are also next in line to see a change in ownership. There were reports that around 6-8 owners are interested in buying stakes of the defending champions.

In the latest events, world’s biggest private equity fund, Blackstone, had held talks to join the consortium of Aditya Birla Group and US sports investors David Blitzer as a partner and submit a joint bid for RCB. They are said to be the frontrunners.

Notably, there were even reports of Lalit Modi looking for stake in Rajasthan Royals.

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