India To Play Asia Cup 2025 Without Jersey Sponsor, BCCI Eyes Long-Term Deal. For the first time in more than a decade, Team India will line up to play the Asia Cup without any sponsor logo on their uniforms. BCCI has not finalized a national team sponsor to take the place of Dream11 when its contract lapsed due to the new Online Gaming Bill 2025 prohibits real-money gaming companies from sponsoring a national team.
Dream11 had introduced India as the kit sponsor in July 2023 for a multi-year agreement worth ₹358 crore. However, this contract was cut short when the law came into effect earlier this month. BCCI needs to find a new commercial partner. They explored options with several global companies, like Toyota, as well as a leading fintech start-up, but they admitted that there is simply not enough time to finalize an agreement before the tournament kicks off on September 9 in the UAE.
BCCI Looks Beyond the Asia Cup
At an Apex council meeting led by interim president Rajeev Shukla, the BCCI decided against rushing into a short-term agreement just to have a sponsor for the Asia Cup. Instead, BCCI will try to land a longer commitment that lasts through the 2027 ODI World Cup. They believe that providing stability and value would be better compensated with one deal.
Consequences for Indian Cricket
The financial and visual implications of not having a sponsor will be significant. The Indian team’s jerseys will look odd without a commercial logo, something we haven’t seen in modern cricket. The immediate financial loss is staggering, yet BCCI believes that the future strategy will be worth the long-term loss.
Also Read: BCCI Ends Partnership With Dream11 After Online Gaming Ban
As India arrives at the Asia Cup, sponsorless, this episode highlights that the nature of sports sponsorship is evolving in an era of stricter regulations and competing market interests.
