IPL Expansion 2028: Pune and Vadodara Frontrunners for Two New Teams, Each Valued Above $1 Billion, Reports Say
Reports say the BCCI is studying a 12-team IPL from 2028 with Pune and Vadodara as likely homes. Pune’s IPL history, the Gahunje stadium and what is still unclear.
Photo: BPositive / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 10th November 2026: Pune could get an IPL team again. The BCCI is exploring two new franchises from the 2028 season, with Pune and Vadodara as the likely homes, according to a Mint report cited by Gulf News and other outlets on Tuesday.
The talks are at an early stage, and the final cities could still change. The BCCI has not made any official statement.
What the reports say about the new IPL teams
The plan would take the league from 10 teams to 12. Expansion is expected to line up with the next media rights cycle, which runs from 2028 to 2032. The current 2023 to 2027 rights were sold for about $6.2 billion.
Each new franchise could be valued at more than $1 billion, the reports say. Possible bidders named include private equity firm Permira, West Asian sovereign wealth funds, Asian state-backed investors, US family offices and large Indian business groups.
Before any decision, the board will have to weigh how many more matches broadcasters want, whether players can fit a longer season, and whether two more teams make commercial sense.
Why the price tag has jumped since 2022
The last expansion, in 2022, brought in Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans. RPSG Group paid about $940 million for Lucknow, and CVC Capital Partners about $750 million for Gujarat, as CricTracker noted.
Recent sales of existing teams have set a higher bar. Royal Challengers Bengaluru changed hands at a valuation of about $1.78 billion, and Rajasthan Royals at a reported $1.65 billion. That is why a $1 billion floor for a new team is being discussed.
Pune’s two earlier IPL teams
Pune has been an IPL city twice, and both stints were short.
- Pune Warriors India, owned by the Sahara Group, played from 2011 to 2013. It left the league after a dispute with the BCCI over franchise fees.
- Rising Pune Supergiant played in 2016 and 2017 as a stand-in while Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were suspended. It reached the 2017 final and lost to Mumbai Indians by one run.
Since then, Pune fans have watched only the odd neutral IPL match, or travelled to Mumbai for games at Wankhede and DY Patil.
Where a Pune team would play
The obvious home is the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium at Gahunje, off the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Talegaon. It was the home ground of both earlier Pune sides and hosted World Cup matches in 2023.
The stadium sits more than 30 km from central Pune, so match-day travel has always been a sore point. Fans from Kothrud, Hadapsar or Viman Nagar typically rely on cars, cabs or special buses. If a team is confirmed, transport to Gahunje will be one of the first civic questions for PCMC, PMPML and the traffic police.
Why Vadodara is in the race
Vadodara is about 110 km from Ahmedabad, home of the Gujarat Titans. A Vadodara team would mean two IPL sides in Gujarat, just as Maharashtra would have two again with Mumbai Indians and a Pune franchise.
What is still not clear
No timeline for a tender, base price or bidding process has been announced. It is also not known whether other cities such as Kochi, Indore or Guwahati are under consideration, or how many matches a 12-team season would have.
We will update this story if the BCCI confirms the plan. For more city sport, see our Pune sports section and the latest from Pune.
Frequently asked questions
Will Pune get a new IPL team?
Reports say Pune and Vadodara are frontrunners for two new IPL teams from 2028, but the BCCI has not confirmed anything and the cities could change.
When will the IPL have 12 teams?
The expansion is expected with the 2028 to 2032 media rights cycle, so the 2028 season at the earliest, if the BCCI approves it.
Which IPL teams has Pune had before?
Pune Warriors India played from 2011 to 2013, and Rising Pune Supergiant played in 2016 and 2017, reaching the 2017 final.
Where would a Pune IPL team play its home games?
The likely venue is the MCA stadium at Gahunje near Talegaon, which was home to both earlier Pune teams.
