BCCI Set to Hike Domestic Umpires and Match Referees' Match Fees with New Graded Structure: Report
The BCCI will significantly increase match fees for domestic umpires and referees, implementing a new four-tier grading system from the 2026-27 season. East Zone recently won the Duleep Trophy against South Zone on a first-innings lead. The Ranji Trophy's 92nd season starts October 11, 2026, with 38 teams, concluding March 3, 2027.
In a major move aimed at enhancing financial stability and motivation for its match officials, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to revise the pay structure and introduce a comprehensive gradation system for domestic umpires and match referees. This crucial decision will come into effect from the upcoming 2026-27 domestic cricket season, which is scheduled to kick off with the Ranji Trophy on October 11. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli Named in India Squad for West Indies Series; Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi Also Included.
"We have decided to revise the pay structure of domestic umpires and match referees from the 2026-27 domestic season. We have also decided to restructure the panel of domestic umpires," BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed on Thursday, September 17, 2026. This comes after umpires had not seen a pay hike since April 2018.
Revised Remuneration and Grading
Under the new framework, which reflects a substantial uplift in earnings, domestic match officials will see their per-day fees revised. For league matches across domestic tournaments, umpires and match referees are set to receive ₹40,000 per day. This matches the previous pay for the top umpires but signifies a raise for others who previously earned ₹30,000 per day. For the more demanding knockout fixtures, the per-day fee will be further increased, ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹60,000, depending on the game's importance.
Additionally, the BCCI will introduce a four-tier grading system for domestic umpires: Grades A, B, C, and D. Umpires officiating in senior domestic tournaments will be placed in Grades A and B, while those overseeing junior tournaments will fall into Grades C and D.
Domestic Season Kicks Off with Ranji Trophy
The announcement precedes the start of India's premier first-class competition, the Ranji Trophy, which will commence its 92nd season on October 11, 2026, and run until March 3, 2027. The tournament, featuring 38 participants, will be played in two phases. The first phase is scheduled from October 11 to November 5, with the second phase resuming from January 17 to March 3, 2027.
All first-round Ranji Trophy matches will begin at 9:30 AM IST, with the toss taking place 30 minutes prior. Defending champions Jammu & Kashmir will look to retain their title in this season's competition. Vipraj Nigam Replaces Injured Varun Chakravarthy in India Squad for Japan T20I and Asian Games 2026.
Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Groupings:
| Elite Group A | Elite Group B | Elite Group C | Elite Group D | Plate Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bihar, Baroda, Goa | Andhra, Assam, | Bengal, Delhi, Gujarat | Chandigarh, Haryana, | Arunachal Pradesh, |
| Jammu & Kashmir, | Chhattisgarh, | Jharkhand, Kerala, | Himachal Pradesh, | Manipur, Meghalaya, |
| Madhya Pradesh, | Hyderabad, Karnataka, | Maharashtra, Odisha, | Mumbai, Railways, | Mizoram, Nagaland, |
| Pondicherry, Uttar | Punjab, Saurashtra, | Services | Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, | Sikkim |
| Pradesh, Vidarbha | Tripura | Uttarakhand |
Duleep Trophy Concludes
The domestic red-ball season has already seen the conclusion of the Duleep Trophy 2026-27, which was played from August 23 to September 10. The final of the zonal competition took place from September 6-10 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, featuring East Zone and South Zone. East Zone won the Duleep Trophy on a first-innings lead.
This significant revision in pay and the introduction of a structured grading system underscore the BCCI's commitment to professionalizing and uplifting the standards of domestic match officiating, ensuring the backbone of Indian cricket receives due recognition and support.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2026 06:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
