Avram Glazer, co-owner of English football giants Manchester United, has reportedly submitted a significant bid of approximately £1.3 billion ($1.8 billion) to acquire Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the reigning champions of both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women's Premier League (WPL). The offer, made through Glazer's investment firm Lancer Capital, positions him among the leading contenders in a competitive bidding process for the highly successful cricket franchise. RCB Jersey for IPL 2026 Revealed With Nothing As Main Sponsor (Watch Video).

The news comes as RCB's current owners, Diageo, initiated a strategic review of their holdings in November, subsequently putting the franchise up for sale. This decision follows RCB's historic maiden IPL title win in 2025, which was recently complemented by their second WPL championship on Thursday night, making them the only franchise to simultaneously hold both prestigious titles. This unprecedented success has significantly elevated the brand's value and attracted considerable global interest, with at least nine parties reportedly submitting non-binding bids for the Bengaluru-based team.

Avram Glazer's Renewed Interest in Indian Cricket

Avram Glazer's reported bid marks a renewed and more aggressive attempt to enter the lucrative Indian cricket market. He previously made an unsuccessful foray in 2021, when his proposals for the Ahmedabad and Lucknow IPL expansion franchises were reportedly among the weakest. However, his firm, Lancer Capital, already owns the Desert Vipers, a successful franchise in the UAE's ILT20 competition, demonstrating his existing interest in T20 cricket. Reports also suggest that Glazer is simultaneously pursuing the acquisition of another IPL franchise, the Rajasthan Royals, though Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations prohibit multi-franchise ownership, meaning he would ultimately need to choose between teams if both bids were successful. RCB-W Win WPL 2026, Delhi Capitals Women Suffer 4th Consecutive Defeat in Finals.

The Valuation and Future of RCB

While Glazer's reported £1.3 billion offer is among the highest received, Diageo is understood to be seeking a valuation closer to USD 2.1 billion (approximately £1.6 billion) for the franchise. The sale process, advised by Citigroup, is expected to conclude by March, ahead of the IPL 2026 season.

RCB's strong commercial presence, dedicated fanbase, and the star power associated with players like Virat Kohli are key factors driving its high valuation. The potential acquisition by a prominent international sports owner like Avram Glazer could further enhance RCB's global profile and bring new investment and strategic direction to the franchise. The outcome of this bidding war will be closely watched by the cricketing world and sports investors alike.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2026 03:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).