The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) invited bids for the Indian cricket team sponsorship rights. This announcement comes following the premature exit of Dream11 as Team India’s lead sponsor.

The Expression of Interests (EOIs) document has been made available to the interested parties from September 02 (Tuesday) onwards. And the last date to purchase the document is September 12 (Friday), with the final cutoff date set on September 16 (Friday). 

This announcement clarifies that India is set to participate without a title sponsor on its jersey in the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2025, commencing on September 09 (Tuesday).

Dream11’s Abrupt Exit Leaves BCCI Clueless

Earlier, Dream11 ended its partnership with BCCI worth INR 358 crore ($44 million) for the 2023-2026 cycle. Following the Indian government’s ban on real-money gaming platforms, Dream11 had to abruptly end the title sponsorship deal one year before the completion of its three-year signed deal.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that the Indian cricket board would strictly refuse to associate itself with the real money gaming platforms and would abide by the newly introduced Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act.  Here is what the 56-year-old former first-class cricketer said:

“See! We are clear with our stance. Keeping in mind the rules and regulations implemented by the Indian government, BCCI decided not to continue the sponsorship deal with Dream11 or any other gaming companies that pay real cash.

Just because of the latest rules, we cannot continue working with Dream11. Currently, we are stuck and cannot move forward with them,” Saikia said.

Eligibility Criteria to Apply for the Sponsorship Deal

BCCI is ready to welcome the reputed companies for the primary sponsorship agreement that satisfy the following eligibility requirements:

• Average net worth or turnover of INR 300 crore over the last three audited financial years.
• Businesses should not be linked financially to wagering or gaming enterprises through investment or control.
• Firms not having any investments or ownership in betting or gambling activities.
• Business organizations should not be engaged in prohibited brand categories such as alcohol and tobacco products, cryptocurrency, online money gaming, pornography, and surrogate advertising.
• Companies that are already associated with the teams are eligible to sponsor, which includes categories like:
  
  
  • Sports clothing or shoes
  • Banks
  • Financial service providers
  • Non-alcoholic cold drink companies
  • Home appliances (mixer grinders, fans, and safety locks)
  • And insurance companies.
    
• Should not have any personal or business connections that breach BCCI rules.
• Not involved in any criminal activities that lead to 2 or more years of imprisonment.
• Must not be flagged by the Reserve Bank of India as a borrower having failed to pay back loans on time.

Procedure to Purchase the EOI Document

Companies that are willing to take part can purchase the EOI document by paying INR 5,00,000 added with GST.

To explain in other words, the Indian based companies can purchase the Invitation for Expression of Interest (IOEI) for the National Team between September 2 to September 12 for INR 5,90,000. But, foreign entities can purchase worth $5,675 (INR 4,98,603.23 approximately). 

This document provides a detailed explanation of the rules and regulations, eligibility criteria, and how the bids will be adjudged.

To obtain the EOI document, bidders must email proof of payment to “sponsorship@bcci.tv” as per Annexure A.

The EOI document will be shared only after receiving payment confirmation. Moreover, the bidders must fulfill all eligibility criteria listed in Annexure B to consider the bids to be valid.

However, BCCI holds the authority to modify or terminate the process at any point without any requirement to offer any further clarification.

A New Sponsorship Deal Worth INR 452 Crore

Meanwhile, BCCI is actively searching for the front of jersey sponsorship rights worth INR 452 crore for the 2025-28 cycle. This package covers all 140 matches for a three-year tenure, which includes INR 3.5 crore per match in bilateral series as well as INR 1.5 crore for games in ICC and ACC tournaments such as the Asia Cup and World Cups (ODIs and T20Is).

The price tag set by BCCI for the new partnership marks a significant upswing compared to Dream11’s deal worth INR 358 crore.

Team India to Have a Sponsor-Less Campaign in Asia Cup 2025

After the cancellation of the sponsorship deal with Dream11 worth INR 358 crore for the 2023-26 cycle, the BCCI finds it difficult to find the best sponsor ahead of the forthcoming ACC event.

So, Team India will take the field in the Men’s Asia Cup without having any main sponsor on its jersey.

On August 28, the BCCI interim president Rajeev Shukla attended the emergency meeting and decided not to rush into choosing a new sponsor just ahead of one high-profile tournament like the Asia Cup.

As senior women cricketers are getting ready for the Women’s ODI World Cup from September 30 onwards, the Indian team is likely to take part without a sponsor in the initial stages of the tournament. With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 tentatively scheduled in the February-March window, BCCI aims to focus on a stable and long-term partnership rather than preferring a temporary fix