The Indian Premier League could grow to 12 teams from the 2028 season, with the BCCI reportedly exploring the addition of two new franchises. Pune and Vadodara have emerged as possible destinations, but the talks are at an early stage and no cities have been confirmed.
The expansion is expected to line up with the next media rights cycle, covering 2028 to 2032. The BCCI has not yet settled the number of teams, the host cities or the timeline for inviting bids, and it has made no official announcement.
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Vadodara is in the picture as Gujarat works to strengthen its position as a sporting hub. The city is about 110 km from Ahmedabad and could become the state’s second IPL centre alongside Gujarat Titans.
Pune already has a long history with the league. Sahara Group’s Pune Warriors India played from 2011 to 2013 before leaving after financial disagreements with the BCCI. Rising Pune Supergiant represented the city in 2016 and 2017, reaching the final in their second season before losing to Mumbai Indians by a single run. Pune also hosted Chennai Super Kings in 2018, the year they won the title. A franchise based there would also draw on a wider catchment across Pimpri-Chinchwad and western Maharashtra.
Recent ownership deals have raised expectations that each new team could be valued at more than $1 billion. Rajasthan Royals, for instance, were reportedly bought by a group led by the Lakshmi Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla at a valuation of $1.65 billion.
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The plan still depends on commercial and operational factors, especially broadcaster interest and the availability of leading Indian players. A 12-team league would also need changes to the schedule and the competition format.
The reports mark a shift from earlier signals. IPL chairman Arun Dhumal had previously spoken of a bigger season of close to 100 matches from 2028 for the existing ten teams, while ruling out new franchises for the time being. The latest reports suggest the board is now weighing more teams as well.
The IPL last expanded before the 2022 season, when Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans joined the league.
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