IPL 2025: Players set for earnings boost with introduction of match fees
In addition to the value of their player contracts, franchises will also pay players for each appearance
Players participating in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) are set to see a significant increase in their earnings, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introducing a match fee of INR 7.5 lakh (approximately £7,100) per game. This means that, in addition to the value of their player contracts, franchises will also pay players for each appearance throughout the season.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced the development on X (formerly known as Twitter), revealing that each franchise will allocate INR 12.60 crore (roughly £1 million) as match fees for the season. This sum will be independent of the franchises’ auction budgets.
To break down the INR 12.60 crore: the 12 players listed on the team sheet for each match will receive this additional incentive as a match fee, totalling INR 90 lakh per match. Over the course of 14 league-phase matches (the number of matches each team plays), this amounts to INR 12.6 crore for the season.
It is understood that the BCCI has yet to formally communicate this development to the ten IPL franchises, who are still awaiting the final retention rules ahead of the mega auction where squads for the 2025 season will be assembled. However, franchises were briefed on the IPL's plans during a July meeting with team owners and representatives, which centred around retention rules.
During the discussions, the IPL emphasised the need to financially incentivise players, especially as the teams were generating more revenue than before. A key reason behind the introduction of match fees is to increase the earnings of players who were signed at, or near, their base price during the auction but have since seen their stature rise. At the 2024 auction, the lowest base price for uncapped players was INR 20 lakh (approximately £19,000), while for capped players it was INR 50 lakh (around £47,000).
A prime example of this would be 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 raised to INR 50 lakh. Patidar played 15 matches in IPL 2024, and under the new system, he would have earned an additional INR 1.125 crore (£107,000) for the season through match fees alone.
The proposal to introduce match fees was met with questions from several franchises, particularly concerning players who remain on the bench. Until IPL 2024, players were paid a discretionary fee from the franchise’s overall auction purse, based on the team's performance in the previous season, known as Incremental Performance Pay. Some franchises suggested an alternative approach, whereby a set incentive pot could be used at the franchise’s discretion to reward performers. However, the IPL appears to have opted for the direct match fee system.
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