Apollo Tyres signs ₹579 crore sponsorship with Team India, becoming lead sponsor until March 2028 for two and a half years.
Apollo Tyres has been announced as the new lead sponsor of India’s national cricket team, marking one of the most high-profile sponsorships in the history of Indian sports.
Apollo Tyres secured the team India jersey sponsorship rights following an intense bidding war, with their deal spanning two and a half years, until March 2028. The sponsorship is worth approximately INR 579 crore, reflecting a per-match payment of INR 4.5 crore for bilateral games and INR 1.72 crore for each ICC fixture. This covers 121 bilateral matches and 20 ICC events in the cycle.
The brand will pay INR 579 crore in total over the period, over 60% more than what Dream XI (INR 358 crore) was paying under the previous arrangement. The BCCI set the base price at INR 3.5 crore per bilateral and INR 1.5 crore for ICC games, but Apollo’s aggressive bid of INR 4.5 crore per bilateral and INR 1.7 crore for ICC games set a new standard.
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Who were the major contenders?
The race to become Team India’s jersey sponsor was fiercely competitive. In addition to Apollo Tyres, the top bidders were Canva and JK Cements.
Canva bid INR 4.28 crore per bilateral and INR 1.83 crore per ICC fixture (overall bid: INR 554.48 crore); JK Cements offered INR 3.7 crore and INR 1.5 crore respectively (total: INR 477.7 crore).
Birla Optus Paints considered bidding but opted out prior to the final round. Ultimately, Apollo’s winning bid was INR 35 crore greater than Canva’s and INR 102 crore higher than JK Cements.
Why Dream XI lost their sponsorship
Dream XI’s exit was precipitated by regulatory changes in India. In August 2025, the Indian government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, banning all real-money gaming and its endorsement.
Since Dream XI’s business model revolved around real-money fantasy sports, the brand was forced to withdraw. Under the previous deal, Dream XI was paying about INR 4 crore per bilateral for a deal totalling INR 358 crore during 2023–2026.
The BCCI’s revised eligibility rules for the new tender barred brands associated with alcohol, betting, gaming, cryptocurrency, tobacco, or any product “likely to offend public morals,” ensuring that only companies from compliant sectors could participate. Hence, established mainstream brands like Apollo Tyres and Canva became prominent contenders.
The Apollo logo will now be visible on the jerseys of both men’s and women’s teams (across all formats), reaching millions of fans globally through broadcasts, digital streams, and merchandising. The partnership extends Apollo’s sports marketing legacy, having sponsored football clubs in Europe, into cricket, the subcontinent’s cultural and commercial behemoth.
For the BCCI, the record deal signals the growing clout of Indian cricket, with more resources available for grassroots development, infrastructure upgrades, and athlete support.
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