As you know, cricketers earn hefty contracts in the Indian Premier League (IPL). But have you ever wondered how much players pocket in match fees per game?
There are match fees as well now?
Well, yes. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) brought in the match fees for players from IPL 2025 onwards.
This wasn’t the case earlier. But with franchises raking in more than enough money, BCCI perhaps thought, why not distribute a little chunk among players?
So, how much do IPL players earn as match fees?
As per BCCI’s directive, a player stands to earn INR 7.5 lakh per league stage game in the IPL. And this is in addition to the player’s contracted amount.
Now, a player can take home his full contract amount along with the match fees. This way, some players can earn more than their contract amount through match fees.
How so?
A franchise bought a player for INR 30 lakh. The concerned player features in all 14 league-stage games.
Then his match fee earnings will be INR 1.05 crore, which is, of course, three times his original contracted amount. So he will go home with INR 1.35 crore.
Isn’t that a massive boost for players, especially for those with base contracts?
To put it in context, BCCI pays INR 3 lakh for a T20I appearance at the international level. The IPL match fees, in comparison, are more than double. Even an ODI appearance (INR 6 lakh) doesn’t fetch that amount for senior Indian cricketers!
Is it applicable to impact players?
Yes. The impact player, or the 12th player on the team sheet, will also get the match fees.
Even a short cameo can fetch INR 7.5 lakh per match. So players have something to look forward to.
But who will bear the expense – BCCI or franchises?
Since players have contracts with the IPL teams, it’s the franchise’s job to pay the match fees. All franchises will keep aside INR 12.60 crore as match fees for the whole season.
The per-match calculation comes down to INR 90 lakh distributed among 12 players. The match fees, though, aren’t part of a franchise’s auction purse.
Were players getting any extra incentives before?
Well, it was subjective to each franchise. They used to reward players based on the team’s performance throughout the season. And it was an optional practice.
The franchises paid the performance-based pay, known as Incremental Performance pay, from their overall auction purse. But now teams have to shell out the match fees irrespective of the team’s performance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What are the match fees for IPL players?
Players will receive INR 7.5 lakh as match fees for playing one game in the IPL.
Are match fees and contract amounts different?
Yes. Match fees are what players will make for every appearance in the league stage. Contract amount refers to the money a player will earn for the whole season, irrespective of whether he plays or not.
What is the base contract amount in IPL?
IPL franchises can sign players at the lowest base price of INR 30 lakh.
Read Next | What is ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’ Announced by BCCI?
