The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday released the Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI) for the National Team Lead Sponsor Rights, opening the door for entities to acquire sponsorship rights for the Indian national cricket team.
Entities barred from bidding
Certain companies are explicitly prohibited from participating, including those involved in online gaming, betting, gambling, cryptocurrency trading, or other restricted business activities. In a detailed notice, the BCCI clarified the types of companies that cannot submit bids.
For online money gaming, betting, or gambling firms, any bidder, including its group companies, should not be engaged in these activities in India or anywhere in the world. They should not provide such services to anyone in India, nor hold any investment or ownership interest in entities engaged in betting or gambling.
“Any Bidder (or its Group companies) engaged in activities prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, is not permitted to submit a bid,” the BCCI specified.
Entities involved in cryptocurrency or related businesses are also barred. The BCCI stated that bidders should not be directly or indirectly engaged in crypto trading, crypto exchanges, crypto tokens, or any business of a similar nature.
Multi-category brands and prohibited activities
Multi-category brands face additional restrictions. If a bidder operates across multiple brand or product categories and any one of those categories falls under blocked or prohibited lists, the bidder cannot submit a bid for that category.
Blocked brand categories include athleisure and sportswear manufacturers, banks and financial services including NBFCs, non-alcoholic cold beverages, fans, mixer grinders, safety locks, and insurance.
Prohibited brand categories include alcohol products, betting or gambling services, cryptocurrency, online money gaming or activities barred under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, tobacco, and content likely to offend public morals. Bidders may still submit bids for categories that are not restricted.
Surrogate branding restrictions
The BCCI has also prohibited surrogate branding, which refers to any attempt to submit a bid indirectly on behalf of another company or person using a different name, brand, identity, or logo.
Lead sponsors have faced challenges in the past, with multiple companies, including Dream11, encountering legal troubles or bankruptcy during their sponsorship tenure.
Accessing the IEOI
Interested parties can access the IEOI by paying a non-refundable fee of ₹5,00,000 plus applicable GST. Payment confirmation, including the entity’s name, registered address, PAN, and GST number if applicable, must be emailed to sponsorship@bcci.tv. The BCCI emphasised that purchasing the IEOI does not automatically grant the right to bid; only entities meeting all eligibility criteria can participate.
Deadlines and payment details
The IEOI was released on September 2, 2025. The last date to purchase it is September 12, 2025, and bid submissions are due by September 16, 2025. The BCCI reserves the right to cancel or amend the process at any stage without explanation.
Indian entities can procure the IEOI by paying ₹5,90,000 inclusive of GST to the BCCI account at Bank of Maharashtra, Fort Branch, Mumbai. Foreign entities must pay $5,675 via international wire transfer, with instructions provided through Bank of Maharashtra and the Bank of New York as correspondent bank.
Eligibility criteria
Only the entity that purchased the IEOI, or another entity in the same corporate group, may submit a bid. Each bidder must have an average turnover or net worth of at least ₹300 crore over the last three audited financial years and qualify as a ‘Fit and Proper Person,’ demonstrating integrity, legal compliance, and absence of conflicts of interest.
Entities barred from bidding
Certain companies are explicitly prohibited from participating, including those involved in online gaming, betting, gambling, cryptocurrency trading, or other restricted business activities. In a detailed notice, the BCCI clarified the types of companies that cannot submit bids.
For online money gaming, betting, or gambling firms, any bidder, including its group companies, should not be engaged in these activities in India or anywhere in the world. They should not provide such services to anyone in India, nor hold any investment or ownership interest in entities engaged in betting or gambling.
“Any Bidder (or its Group companies) engaged in activities prohibited under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, is not permitted to submit a bid,” the BCCI specified.
Entities involved in cryptocurrency or related businesses are also barred. The BCCI stated that bidders should not be directly or indirectly engaged in crypto trading, crypto exchanges, crypto tokens, or any business of a similar nature.
Multi-category brands and prohibited activities
Multi-category brands face additional restrictions. If a bidder operates across multiple brand or product categories and any one of those categories falls under blocked or prohibited lists, the bidder cannot submit a bid for that category.
Blocked brand categories include athleisure and sportswear manufacturers, banks and financial services including NBFCs, non-alcoholic cold beverages, fans, mixer grinders, safety locks, and insurance.
Prohibited brand categories include alcohol products, betting or gambling services, cryptocurrency, online money gaming or activities barred under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, tobacco, and content likely to offend public morals. Bidders may still submit bids for categories that are not restricted.
Surrogate branding restrictions
The BCCI has also prohibited surrogate branding, which refers to any attempt to submit a bid indirectly on behalf of another company or person using a different name, brand, identity, or logo.
Lead sponsors have faced challenges in the past, with multiple companies, including Dream11, encountering legal troubles or bankruptcy during their sponsorship tenure.
Accessing the IEOI
Interested parties can access the IEOI by paying a non-refundable fee of ₹5,00,000 plus applicable GST. Payment confirmation, including the entity’s name, registered address, PAN, and GST number if applicable, must be emailed to sponsorship@bcci.tv. The BCCI emphasised that purchasing the IEOI does not automatically grant the right to bid; only entities meeting all eligibility criteria can participate.
Deadlines and payment details
The IEOI was released on September 2, 2025. The last date to purchase it is September 12, 2025, and bid submissions are due by September 16, 2025. The BCCI reserves the right to cancel or amend the process at any stage without explanation.
Indian entities can procure the IEOI by paying ₹5,90,000 inclusive of GST to the BCCI account at Bank of Maharashtra, Fort Branch, Mumbai. Foreign entities must pay $5,675 via international wire transfer, with instructions provided through Bank of Maharashtra and the Bank of New York as correspondent bank.
Eligibility criteria
Only the entity that purchased the IEOI, or another entity in the same corporate group, may submit a bid. Each bidder must have an average turnover or net worth of at least ₹300 crore over the last three audited financial years and qualify as a ‘Fit and Proper Person,’ demonstrating integrity, legal compliance, and absence of conflicts of interest.
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