Pune may return to IPL as BCCI explores two new teams from 2028 season

Pune, Nov 11, 2026: Pune could return to the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reported to be exploring the addition of two new franchises from the 2028 season. Pune and Vadodara are among the cities being considered under the proposal to expand the league to 12 teams.

Ahead of the next media rights cycle, which begins in 2028, the BCCI is said to have started initial talks with private equity investors. European buyout fund Permira, West Asian sovereign wealth funds, large Indian business groups and American family offices are assessing investment in the proposed teams.

Each new team could be valued at more than a billion dollars, reflecting the growing commercial appeal of the IPL.

Pune has hosted two IPL franchises before. Sahara Group's Pune Warriors India played in the league from 2011 to 2013. A dispute arose over the franchise fee and the BCCI encashed its bank guarantee, after which the team left the league.

The city returned to the IPL in 2016, when Rising Pune Supergiant was brought in as a temporary franchise for two seasons following the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The team played its home matches in Pune and dropped out after the 2017 season.

The proposed expansion comes at a time when franchise valuations are at record levels and investor interest is rising. Earlier this year, Royal Challengers Bengaluru was bought for $1.78 billion (about Rs 16,660 crore) by a consortium of the Aditya Birla Group, Bolt Ventures, Blackstone and the Times of India Group.

In another major deal, industrialist Lakshmi N Mittal, his son Aditya Mittal and Adar Poonawalla acquired a majority stake in Rajasthan Royals with a bid of $1.65 billion (about Rs 15,600 crore). Last year, the Torrent Group took a 67 per cent stake in Gujarat Titans for about $875 million.

The IPL's media rights for 2023-27 were sold for about Rs 48,000 crore. The next cycle, 2028-33, is expected to surpass that figure.

The league began in 2008 with eight teams. In 2011 the addition of Pune Warriors India and Kochi Tuskers Kerala took it to 10. Because of contract-related issues, the Kochi franchise was terminated after one season and Pune Warriors withdrew in 2013, returning the league to eight teams.

In 2022, the arrival of Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans made the IPL a 10-team league again. The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group took the Lucknow franchise for Rs 7,090 crore, while CVC Capital Partners acquired the Ahmedabad franchise for Rs 5,625 crore.

If the proposed expansion materialises, Pune could find a place on the IPL map again after about a decade.