The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may be excluding Chinese brands from bidding for the Indian Premier League's title sponsorship rights for 2024-2028, according to news reports that cited the board's guidelines in the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

Reports say that the decision has been taken to avoid association with companies that have strained bilateral ties with India.

The document reportedly said that the bidder must not be incorporated in a jurisdiction with which India does not have a friendly relationship. The guidelines also stated that the companies associated with countries perceived to be unfriendly to India should submit additional documents.

The board has also banned Alcohol Products, Betting, Cryptocurrency, Real Money Gaming (not including fantasy sports gaming) and Tobacco among others for title sponsorship.

BCCI is currently on the lookout for a new title sponsor for IPL 2024 and has invited bids for the same. Tata Group took over the title sponsorship for IPL after the exit of Vivo in 2021 following the Galwan border clashes with China.

After the end of Tata's association with the league in 2023, BCCI announced the release of the tender for the title sponsorship rights of IPL for the 2024-28 cycle on December 12, 2023. Any interested party wishing to submit a bid is required to purchase the ITT. However, only those satisfying the eligibility criteria set out in the ITT and subject to the other terms and conditions set out therein shall be eligible to bid. It is clarified that merely purchasing the ITT does not entitle any person to bid.