What is the Salary of ICC Elite Panel Umpires and Match Referees?

Whenever a cricket match is on, the focus is always on the players. And why not? Their solid performances light up the matches.

While players hog all the limelight, there are a few people who go about their business as usual and make sure the matches happen without any fuss.

And who are they? The ICC Elite Panel umpires and match referees. They have a big responsibility of conducting matches fair and square. 

But have you ever wondered how much salary ICC pays them?

Well, this article will uncover the salaries and perks offered to the ICC Elite Panel umpires and match referees.

ICC Elite Panel Umpire Salary

You see, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has 12 Elite Panel umpires on its payroll every year. The global body inducts and excludes umpires to the Elite Panel based on their performance. (Read about the duties performed by umpires here.)

And those in the panel earn annual retainers from the ICC. The annual retainer includes a hefty salary package.

While there’s no official information available, an ICC Elite Panel umpire’s annual salary ranges between USD 100,000 and USD 200,000.

But this is just their base pay. Their earnings go further up if we take into account the match fees paid by the ICC.

Match fees? Oh yes, like players, umpires also get match fees.

So, what are the match fees of the ICC Elite Panel umpires?

The match for the ICC umpires differs by format. For every Test match appearance, the ICC pays them USD 5,000. Officiating an ODI match fetches them USD 3,000, while standing in a T20I game gets them USD 1,500.

On top of this, the umpires receive other perks as well. The ICC offers them daily, travel, and accommodation allowances for bilateral and ICC tournaments.

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Now, onto the match referees.

ICC Elite Panel Match Referee Salary

While you may think a match referee’s role on the cricket field is limited to the toss, it’s not completely true. Sure, you see them only for those couple of minutes, but they are the lead match official of any cricket match.

So, only the best becomes part of the elite panel. The ICC typically has five to six match referees on its annual payroll. And a match referee’s annual salary ranges between USD 40,000 and USD 50,000. 

And match fees? Like the umpires, match referees also get their share of match fees.

Officiating in a Test match means they earn USD 2,500, while an ODI appearance fetches USD 1,500. And they receive USD 850 for a T20I match.

The match referees also enjoy similar perks offered to the umpires, making it a lucrative profession.

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