IGPL secures $100 million franchise commitment, unveils team owners
The Indian Golf Premier League on Monday announced a $100 million capital commitment from 10 franchise partners across the country, with each investor pledging approximately $10 million over a 10-year period, signalling a long-term push to professionalise and expand the sport.
The IGPL staged its inaugural pro tour last year, comprising 11 events played in a 54-hole, mixed-gender, no-cut format with a prize purse of `1.5 crore per tournament. The tour included events in India, Dubai and Colombo. The body had in July last year announced plans for a city-based franchise league, initially slated for a January-February window. While the event did not materialise as scheduled, IGPL on Monday confirmed the franchise ownership details for the upcoming edition.
The franchise rights have been awarded to Hyderabad (Phoenix), Mumbai (Atri), Kolkata (Flyingman Academy), Delhi (RVR Infra), Chennai (Vimtra Ventures), Visakhapatnam (Green Fuels), Goa (Auro Realty), Bengaluru (GolfKonnekt), Punjab (Krishna Auto) and Gurugram (Honer Homes Consortium). “This is not a traditional sports investment, it’s a strategic platform for business amplification and nation-building through sports,” Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, IGPL said in a release.
“Our franchise partners come from Pharma, Infrastructure, Real Estate, and Venture Capital, and they see IGPL as a multi-decade opportunity to build a sports culture while leveraging the platform for their core businesses. The $100 million commitment reflects their conviction in our vision.” The IGPL said the league format, tournament schedule, and player auction details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Beyond league operations, the franchise partners have collectively committed $250 million towards infrastructure development, including plans to build compact eight to 10-acre golf facilities in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and rural areas. The IGPL also outlined a global expansion roadmap, targeting a presence across India, Africa and the Middle East in its inaugural year, with plans to operate in five countries within the next three to four years.
“We’re not just creating a league we’re building an ecosystem. From village courses to global tournaments, IGPL will make golf accessible, competitive, and commercially viable,” Mundy said. “Our three-continent launch strategy and infrastructure mandate position us as a transformative force in global golf, not just Indian golf.”
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh is co-founder and brand ambassador of the IGPL, which has the backing of the Sports Ministry, the Indian Golf Union, the Women’s Golf Association of India and the Asian Tour. Jeev Milkha Singh, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Jyoti Randhhawa, Shiv Kapur, SSP Chawrasia and Gaurav Ghei are associated with the league as mentors, competitors and ambassadors.
Interestingly, the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) has also launched its inaugural edition of ‘72 The League’ with the first day of play scheduled for Tuesday at the ITC Classic Golf & Country Club in Gurugram. The league, which will rotate across three premier Delhi-NCR courses, is a fast-paced match-play team format featuring singles, four-ball, and foursomes.
