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New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) has kick-started the process of finding a new lead sponsor for the national cricket team. On Tuesday, September 2, the board announced that it has released an Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI) for the sponsorship rights, inviting bids from reputed companies to step into the role.

The notice was shared on X (formerly Twitter), confirming that interested entities can acquire documents for the bid after paying a non-refundable fee of ₹5 lakh plus applicable GST. The deadline to purchase the IEOI is September 12 while the final submission of documents must be completed by September 16.

The BCCI has underlined that the document included detailed terms and conditions regarding the submission and evaluation of bids. In simple terms, the board is looking for financially sound partners who can also align with its strict eligibility criteria.

NEWS 🚨 – BCCI announces the release of the Invitation for Expression of Interest for National Team Lead Sponsor Rights

More details here 👇https://t.co/Qx6YZvYWrw pic.twitter.com/0e0vCoIdBT

— BCCI (@BCCI)

Eligibility criteria

According to the guidelines, a prospective sponsor must meet at least one of two key requirements. Either their average annual turnover over the last three years should not be less than ₹300 crore, or their average net worth during the same period should meet that threshold. This ensures that only financially stable companies with strong backing can come forward.

The BCCI has also made it clear that no bidder should have any connection with gambling, betting or online money gaming services either in India or abroad. In addition, bidders cannot have links to cryptocurrency trading, exchanges or token-based businesses. The board’s strict stance follows the growing scrutiny of industries that operate in regulatory grey areas.

Dream 11’s exit and new law

The search for a new sponsor comes soon after fantasy gaming platform Dream11 walked away from its contract with BCCI. The decision followed the enactment of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 which bans all real-money online gaming in India.

Dream11 had been Team India’s lead sponsor under a deal worth around ₹358 crore for the 2023–2026 cycle. However, the new legislation is not just banning real-money gaming but also prohibiting advertisements and endorsements related to such platforms. With Dream 11’s involvement in such a sphere left the company with no choice but to terminate the agreement.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia also confirmed last month that the two parties had ended their association by mutual consent. He also added that the board would not be entering into any future deals with companies linked to online money gaming.

What lies ahead

For the BCCI, the challenge now is to bring on board a sponsor that matches the value of the outgoing contract while also fitting into the revised eligibility framework. With cricket being India’s biggest sporting property, the national team’s lead sponsorship remains one of the most high-profile commercial deals in the country.

The coming weeks will reveal which brands are willing to step forward and invest in what is widely seen as one of the most visible and influential sponsorship opportunities in world sport.

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