Sports
Rugby Premier League 2026 to be held in Hyderabad
Second edition returns in Rugby 7s format from 16 to 28 June at Gachibowli Stadium.
MUMBAI: Hyderabad is all set to tackle a new sporting challenge, the Rugby Premier League is coming to town, and this time it promises even more pace, power and passion. GMR Sports, in partnership with Rugby India, has announced that the second edition of the Rugby Premier League (RPL) will be staged at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad from 16 to 28 June 2026.
Following a successful debut in Mumbai last year, the league returns in the fast-paced Rugby 7s format. All six franchises from the inaugural season will compete again, bringing together top Indian and international talent to deliver high-quality, action-packed rugby for fans.
The shift to Hyderabad aligns with GMR Sports’ growing commitment to building world-class sporting infrastructure in the city. It also follows the group’s recent MoU with the Government of Telangana to develop a Satellite Sports City within Bharat Future City.
Government of Telangana special chief secretary (Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture & Sports), IAS Jayesh Ranjan welcomed the league, saying Hyderabad’s emergence as a global sporting destination reflects the state’s long-term vision.
Rugby India President Rahul Bose emphasised the league’s continuous improvement, “With everything one does in life, the quest is to always do better, be better, deliver better.” He promised a superior fan experience, higher quality rugby, and a stronger television and OTT product in 2026.
GMR Sports CEO Satyam Trivedi highlighted Hyderabad’s excellent sports infrastructure, connectivity and passionate fan base as ideal for the league. “One of our franchise partners is rooted in Hyderabad, underscoring the city’s pivotal role in our long-term vision for rugby in India,” he added.
Sports Authority of Telangana, vice chairman & managing director, IFS A. Sonibala Devi noted that hosting the RPL will strengthen the state’s high-performance ecosystem and provide valuable exposure to emerging talent.
With elite competition, a proven format and a new energetic host city, the 2026 Rugby Premier League is shaping up to be a thrilling chapter in the growth of rugby across India. Get ready, Hyderabad rugby is about to touch down in style.
Sports
JioStar terminates Bangladesh IPL and WPL broadcast rights deals
Payment defaults lead to licence cancellations and potential legal action.
MUMBAI: When the money stops flowing in cricket’s biggest cash cow, even the sub-licence holders can find themselves suddenly bowled out. JioStar India Private Limited has terminated its Bangladesh sub-licence agreements for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL) after the counterparty, Excel Lead IT Solutions FZ-LLC (holding company of broadcaster T-Sports), failed to clear outstanding dues.
The agreements, originally signed with Viacom18 (now part of JioStar) and later novated to Excel Lead, covered digital media rights for the IPL and WPL in Bangladesh for the 2023–27 seasons. In early January 2026, JioStar issued a demand notice for unpaid amounts related to the IPL 2025 and WPL 2025 seasons. Despite providing full access to matches and allowing complete commercial exploitation, the dues remained unpaid even after the cure period expired.
As a result, all licensed rights have automatically reverted to JioStar. The company has demanded immediate payment of all outstanding dues along with overdue interest and costs, and has instructed Excel Lead (T-Sports) to immediately cease any broadcast, streaming, promotion or exploitation of the rights in Bangladesh. Any continued use would constitute unauthorised exploitation.
JioStar is also considering legal proceedings, including interim and injunctive relief, to protect the commercial value of these high-profile cricket properties.
In a separate development, JioStar has invoked arbitration against Green Bean Sports Marketing (an affiliate of Gazi TV Bangladesh) over a sublicensing agreement for IPL television media rights in Bangladesh for the 2023–27 seasons. The agreement was terminated in January 2025 due to contractual breaches and payment issues.
Industry sources say JioStar remains confident in the judicial process and is determined to recover all outstanding amounts, including interest and litigation costs, in full.
The developments highlight a growing zero-tolerance approach by rights holders towards payment defaults and unauthorised exploitation in South Asia’s lucrative sports media market, where marquee cricket properties continue to command premium valuations.
In the high-stakes game of cricket broadcasting, it seems JioStar has decided that when payments don’t come, the game stops and the rights go back to the rightful owner.
