BCCI breaks silence on IPL 2028 expansion, clears air on Rs 150 Crore team purse

BCCI breaks silence on IPL 2028 expansion, clears air on Rs 150 Crore team purse

BCCI Rejects IPL Expansion Talk, Says 2027 Season Is the Priority

Plans for the Indian Premier League to grow from 10 teams to 12 have been ruled out for now, with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia dismissing reports of an expansion from the 2028 season. Saikia said the board has not discussed adding two franchises, either formally or informally, and described the circulating claims as speculation.

The clarification puts a pause on predictions that the IPL could soon add two teams. With the competition now among the world’s most prominent cricket leagues, expansion has long been a topic of interest for fans, broadcasters and potential investors. But the BCCI says its immediate attention is elsewhere: preparing for the 2027 edition, which will mark the tournament’s 20th season.

What the BCCI Has Said About a 12-Team IPL

Saikia’s comments make clear that a 12-team format is not currently part of the board’s plans. He said the BCCI is focused on delivering the 2027 tournament and is not considering changes beyond that season at this stage.

“We have neither discussed formally nor informally the possibility of the IPL becoming a 12-team affair in 2028,” Saikia said, according to the remarks reported by the BCCI. He added that reports about expansion had no official basis and called them speculative.

That distinction matters because an IPL expansion would involve much more than simply adding two teams. The league would need to consider the tournament calendar, match volume, venue availability, player workload, broadcasting arrangements and the commercial structure of new franchises. Until the BCCI confirms that it is examining those issues, predictions about a 12-team competition remain unverified.

Why expansion reports attract attention

The IPL has expanded before. The tournament briefly featured 10 teams in 2011, before returning to an eight-team format, and the league again expanded to 10 franchises in 2022. Those changes have helped fuel expectations that further growth could eventually follow.

A 12-team competition could create more opportunities for players, cities and sponsors, while potentially bringing additional matches to the schedule. At the same time, a larger format could intensify questions about how to preserve competitive balance and avoid overloading an already crowded international cricket calendar. For now, however, the BCCI has not indicated that it is weighing those trade-offs for 2028.

2027 IPL: The Board’s Immediate Focus

Rather than looking ahead to a new format, the BCCI is concentrating on the 2027 season. The edition will be the IPL’s 20th, giving it added significance as a milestone in the league’s history. Saikia described it as a major event and said preparations for that tournament are the board’s current concern.

The 2027 season is expected to begin in March, according to Saikia’s comments. That timing also places the tournament in the broader conversation about cricket scheduling, including how the IPL fits alongside international fixtures and other domestic competitions. The board has not offered further details about the full schedule, but its stated priority is to organize the milestone edition before considering longer-term changes.

For fans, the takeaway is straightforward: there is no confirmed 12-team IPL plan for 2028, and no official expansion timeline has been announced. Any prediction about when the league might next grow should be treated cautiously until the BCCI provides a formal update.

No Confirmed Increase to the IPL Team Purse

Saikia also addressed reports that the team purse could rise from Rs. 125 crore to Rs. 150 crore ahead of the next mega auction. He rejected those claims, saying there is no decision to increase the salary purse at this point.

The auction calendar is another important part of the picture. Saikia said the upcoming auction is scheduled for December 16 and will not be a mega auction. He described it as the final year of the current cycle, adding that the board would make decisions about the next phase afterward. The mega auction is expected sometime the following year, but the BCCI has not confirmed a change to the purse.

The distinction between a regular auction and a mega auction is significant for franchises. A mega auction can reshape team rosters on a much larger scale, while a smaller auction generally gives teams a more limited opportunity to fill gaps. Any adjustment to the purse could affect retention decisions, bidding strategies and the value teams place on established players. For now, though, the reported Rs. 150 crore figure has not been endorsed by the board.

BCCI Avoids Comment on January IPL Suggestion

The BCCI secretary also declined to weigh in on a scheduling proposal from Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Juhi Chawla. Chawla recently suggested that the IPL could be played in January rather than its traditional April-May window.

Saikia did not indicate that the board is considering a change to the tournament’s usual timing. Instead, he reiterated that the immediate task is hosting the 2027 IPL, which is expected to start in March. His response leaves the broader scheduling debate open, but offers no indication of an imminent shift to January.

Moving the IPL to a different part of the year would require coordination with international cricket boards, player availability, local weather conditions and the calendars of other leagues. It could also affect stadium access and broadcast planning. Those considerations help explain why a scheduling suggestion does not automatically translate into a formal proposal or a change in the tournament window.

What IPL Fans Should Watch Next

For now, the BCCI’s message is one of caution: expansion, a larger team purse and a January schedule are not confirmed plans. The board has dismissed the reports about a 12-team IPL and a Rs. 150 crore purse, while keeping its attention on the 2027 season and the next steps in the auction cycle.

Further clarity is likely to come as the BCCI moves closer to the auction and begins outlining preparations for the IPL’s 20th edition. Until then, fans can expect speculation to continue, but official announcements—not predictions—will determine whether the league changes its format, finances or calendar in the years ahead.

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