India’s cricket board has decided to revise the pay structure of domestic umpires and match referees starting from the 2026-27 domestic season. The announcement was made on September 17, 2026, a day before the BCCI Annual General Meeting scheduled at BCCI headquarters on September 18, 2026.
The revised pay structure will come into effect as the 2026-27 domestic season resumes after the Duleep Trophy. The Ranji Trophy is scheduled to begin on October 11, 2026, marking the point at which the new arrangements will take hold. The announcement covers both the fee revision and a structural reorganisation of the umpire panel.
“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,” said BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia to Times of India.
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How will the new four-grade panel system work?
Alongside the pay revision, the BCCI has decided to move away from its existing umpire panel arrangement and introduce a four-grade classification system. The restructuring is designed to create a clearer distinction between officials who handle senior domestic competitions and those who officiate in junior tournaments.
Under this framework, Grades A and B will cover senior domestic competitions such as the Ranji Trophy, while Grades C and D will be reserved for junior-level tournaments. The grading system is expected to bring greater clarity to career progression for match officials within the domestic circuit.
“The domestic umpires will be divided into four grades-A, B, C and D. Grades A and B will be reserved for umpires officiating in senior domestic tournaments, while the other two grades will have umpires standing in junior tournaments,” a source said to TOI.
What are the current fee levels for domestic umpires?
To understand the scale of the upcoming revision, it helps to look at where domestic umpires currently stand. The top 20 domestic umpires presently earn a per-day fee of Rs 40,000, while the remaining umpires on the panel receive Rs 30,000 per day. For T20 matches specifically, the per-day fee stands at Rs 20,000.
In addition to match fees, domestic umpires receive a daily allowance. Officials travelling for outstation matches receive Rs 1,500 per day, while local officials are paid between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 per day.
The specific revised fee amounts for the 2026-27 season have not yet been publicly disclosed by the BCCI. Whether the fee revision applies to match referees under the same structure as umpires, or through a separate arrangement, also remains unconfirmed at this stage.
