Last Updated on 6 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
There is a chance that Australia will host Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in the future, with the proposal currently being discussed among the game’s stakeholders.
According to a report in The Age, sources have offered an “open invitation” to the BCCI for Australia to host IPL matches. CA is also hopeful that a Big Bash League (BBL) game in India becomes a yearly event with the 2026/27 season opener to be held in Chennai on December 12, as announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Australian visit.
Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers will feature in the historic encounter.
CA discussing possibility of hosting IPL matches in Australia
Australia sees T20 leagues as an opportunity to further strengthen ties with India. The two nations have a proud rivalry in international cricket, but the BBL and IPL is perceived as a platform for driving more commercial interest in cricket in Australia.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host an NFL match later this year. Alistair Dobson, BBL general manager, would love to see the same for the IPL.
“There’s certainly been interest from time to time at state government level and at venue level, and with some of our clubs to imagine what that could look like bringing an IPL game out here,” Dobson said, as quoted by cricinfo.
“The IPL’s next level, isn’t it? And it would bring an amazing connection. We’ve seen already the hype around an NFL game in Melbourne.
“It’s not necessarily connected to this event or this initiative, but the opportunity to have those discussions when the time’s right, I’m sure we’d be open to that, as would everyone across Australian cricket, because the IPL’s got a huge following already in Australia.”
However, moving an IPL game away from India would be a big challenge. The league is a staple item in the Indian cricketing calendar, with huge attendances and viewership numbers. Also, the IPL kicks off during Australia’s off-season, with the AFL occupying all the major cricketing grounds including the MCG, SCG and Adelaide Oval.
South Africa (2009 elections) and UAE (Covid-19 panedmic) are the only overseas nations to have hosted IPL matches.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” said Dobson. “As you can imagine, taking any sporting event overseas is a challenge. Taking a cricket game is complex, but we’re going into a market that we know loves the game and puts on big cricket events every day of the week.”
The IPL is second only to the NFL in terms of broadcast value per match. The next IPL broadcast deal is expected to be significant as well with a market embracing the switch to digital media.
