Is Virat Kohli’s imminent retirement the reason behind RCB’s sale before IPL 2026?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the defending champions, will have new owners in IPL 2026, with the current owners Diageo confirming their interest to sell the franchise. The process for the sale of the men’s and women’s RCB teams have commenced and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026. A report has now shed light on Diageo’s decision to sell RCB before IPL 2026 and Virat Kohli could be one of the possible reasons.

Is RCB up for sale due to Virat Kohli?

As per Exchange 4 Media, the founder of AMP Sports and Entertainment Indranil Das Blah has opined that RCB had stayed among the top-three brands, even though they didn’t win a title till 2025, thanks to Kohli. He said that the stalwart’s retirement, which is imminent, will surely impact the valuation of the franchise and hence the current owners could be seeking an early exit. Meanwhile, other experts who spoke to the publication maintained that Virat would still be associated with RCB even after his retirement.

“RCB has stayed a top-three brand even without titles because of Virat. His retirement, whenever it happens, will definitely impact the valuations,” Blah said.

Virat, who was the former skipper of the team, has been RCB’s poster boy since his debut in the IPL. He has never played for any other team and is synonymous with the name of the franchise. Experts told E4M that any move Kohli makes towards retirement would bring uncertainty to RCB’s long-term brand equity. Following their title win in IPL 2025, RCB became the most-valued brand, with it’s value growing by 18.5% from $227 million in 2024 to $269 million in 2025.

Kohli, who retired from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in 2025, is currently active only in ODIs and in the IPL. He is very much at the fag end of his career and could bring the curtains down on his IPL career soon – in proably three or four seasons. Besides, Kohli ended his 17-year-long wait to lay his hands on the IPL trophy as he was a part of the Rajat Patidar-led RCB side that won the title in 2025.