The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued an open request to bidders interested in purchasing lead sponsorship rights for the national teams. This follows the recent ban on Dream11 following the restriction of real money gaming in India, which was imposed by Parliament. The chosen bidder will be able to be the lead sponsor of both the India Men’s and Women’s teams for a term yet to be determined by the BCCI.
However, the BCCI has established tough checkpoints and criteria for bidders wishing to earn an Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI).
Brands associated with the same industry as current sponsors will not be able to bid. Furthermore, any betting brand, online gaming provider, alcohol, tobacco, pornography, or cryptocurrency company is not permitted to submit a bid.
According to a release on BCCI’s official website dated Tuesday, September 2, each bidder must be a ‘Fit and Proper Person’. In order to determine whether a Person is a Fit and Proper Person, the BCCI may take into account any factor, as may be deemed fit by the BCCI, including without limitation any one or more of the following criteria:
- not having been convicted by a court of a criminal offence or offences involving moral turpitude, economic offence or fraud;
- not having any conflict of interest as per the BCCI Conflict of Interest Rules;
- absence of conviction for any offence punishable with imprisonment for 2 (two) years or more in any jurisdiction;
- absence of categorization as a wilful defaulter by the Reserve Bank of India; and/or
- a Person having integrity and reputation; and the BCCI reserves the right to reject any bid from any bidder which in the BCCI’s opinion and at its sole and absolute discretion does not satisfy these criteria.
The following list of Brand Categories are not permitted under the IEOI Prohibited Brand Categories:
- Alcohol Products;
- Betting or Gambling Services;
- Cryptocurrency;
- Online Money Gaming or any such activities prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025;
- Tobacco; and
- one which is likely to offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornograph
India to not have a lead sponsor for Asia Cup 2025
Apart from the companies or brands associated aforementioned thereto, interested parties can obtain the IEOI by September 12, 2025, which clearly hints that India will enter the Asia Cup 2025 without a lead sponsor. The further official processes of application will have to be completed on or before September 16, and if all goes through, the Indian team might onboard a sponsor just in time ahead of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, which commences September 30.
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