Apollo Tyres Secures Team India Lead Sponsorship Deal

BCCI named Apollo Tyres as the new lead sponsor on September 16, 2025. The board confirmed that the deal runs to March 2028. This marks Apollo’s first jersey role with Indian cricket.

Officials said the value shows strong interest in national-team rights. The logo will appear on all match kits for both men’s and women’s teams in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

The deal runs to March 2028 and covers 142 matches in total:

121 Bilateral Games: Matches between India and other countries in home and away series.

21 ICC Games: Matches in ICC tournaments like World Cups, Champions Trophy, and World Test Championship.

The logo will appear on both men’s and women’s kits in all formats — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The tender set base rates at ₹3.5 crore per bilateral match and ₹1.5 crore per ICC match.

Apollo Tyres won with a ₹579 crore bid, outbidding two other major competitors:

Canva bid ₹544 crore (₹35 crore less than Apollo)

JK Cements bid ₹477 crore (₹102 crore less than Apollo)

Birla Opus Paints showed interest but did not reach the final stage.

The tender set base rates at ₹3.5 crore for each bilateral match and ₹1.5 crore for each ICC match. Apollo’s offer cleared both levels and topped its rivals with a comfortable margin.

The Online Gaming Bill, passed in August 2025, banned money-based games and blocked their advertising and sponsorship. Dream11, which operated fantasy sports with real-money contests, was directly affected by this law.

Following the bill’s passage, Dream11 stepped away from the Team India jersey sponsorship. BCCI announced it would avoid brands tied to betting, gaming, crypto, and tobacco going forward.

During the transition period, Dream11 shifted to ad-funded contests after the law removed its main business model. This shift explains its decision to end the sponsorship deal.

Wide Jersey Presence: The Apollo logo will appear on India’s match kits in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is — the most-watched cricket content in the world.

Global Reach: Apollo sells tyres under Apollo and Vredestein brands in more than 100 countries. The Team India jersey lifts visibility in many of those markets, especially during ICC tournaments.

Sports Portfolio Expansion: Apollo extended its partnership with Manchester United through 2028 and has supported football clubs in India. Cricket adds another major sport to its profile, creating a comprehensive sports marketing strategy.

Youth Connect: For a retail-heavy brand, steady match exposure helps recall and builds ties with younger fans who follow cricket passionately.

The ₹579 crore deal shows that Indian cricket remains the most valuable property for major consumer brands. The deal lifts value over the previous Dream11 contract despite the legal shift.

Strong Competition: Multiple companies placed high offers in the tender, which points to steady demand for Team India rights.

Compliance Benefits: BCCI reduces regulatory risks by staying clear of restricted categories like gaming, betting, crypto, and tobacco.

Women’s Cricket Boost: The deal covering both men’s and women’s teams signals increasing commercial value of women’s cricket in India.

Dream11 (2023-2025): Took the jersey in 2023 for about ₹358 crore over three years. The new Online Gaming law ended that path, forcing a quick change.

Apollo Tyres (2025-2028): The new ₹579 crore agreement raises the value significantly and stretches to March 2028.

Gap Period: During the 2025 Asia Cup, India played without a jersey sponsor. This gap highlights how fast BCCI needed a new brand after Dream11’s exit.