Players participating in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) are poised for a substantial boost in earnings, thanks to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introducing a match fee of INR 7.5 lakh (approximately £7,100) per game.

This new structure means players will earn additional income on top of their existing player contracts, with franchises compensating them for each appearance throughout the season.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced this development on X (formerly Twitter), noting that each franchise will set aside INR 12.60 crore (about £1 million) specifically for match fees during the season. Importantly, this allocation will be separate from the franchises’ auction budgets.

To break down the INR 12.60 crore: the 12 players listed on the team sheet for each match will collectively earn INR 90 lakh as match fees per game. Across the 14 league-phase matches that each team plays, this totals INR 12.6 crore for the entire season.

While the BCCI has not yet officially communicated this information to the ten IPL franchises, they were briefed during a meeting in July regarding retention rules and the upcoming mega auction for the 2025 season. The IPL emphasized the need to financially reward players, especially as teams are generating more revenue than ever.

The introduction of match fees aims to enhance the earnings of players who were signed at or near their base price during the auction but have since increased their value. For instance, during the 2024 auction, the lowest base price for uncapped players was INR 20 lakh (around £19,000), while capped players started at INR 50 lakh (about £47,000).

A notable example is Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Rajat Patidar, who was initially signed as an uncapped player for his base price of INR 20 lakh. After earning his India cap, his salary was increased to INR 50 lakh.

In the 2024 IPL season, Patidar played 15 matches, and under the new match fee system, he would have earned an additional INR 1.125 crore (£107,000) through match fees alone.

The proposal to implement match fees raised questions among franchises, particularly regarding players who remain on the bench.

Until IPL 2024, bench players received discretionary fees from the franchise’s auction purse based on the previous season’s performance, termed Incremental Performance Pay.

Some franchises suggested using a set incentive pot to reward performers at their discretion, but the IPL has opted for the direct match fee approach.

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