Umpire Salary in IPL 2025: Per Match Pay, Earnings Over a Season, Career Prospects

In every IPL match, umpires play a critical role by making difficult decisions instantly, addressing high-stress scenarios, and maintaining the game's flow and integrity. However, with that responsibility, many fans begin to wonder 

What is the Salary of an Umpire in the IPL?

For the 2025 season, the average salary of an IPL umpire is  INR 7.33 lakhs  per season. Also, umpires are paid a per match fee, and that fee depends on the level of experience and the category of match (league matches, playoffs, and finals).

Umpires, on average, officiate 15–20 matches per season. Due to the IPL's increasing brand value and popularity, umpire salaries and availability of years of pay have consistently grown at all levels of the game. Senior and elite panel accredited umpires will often receive more pay, and bonuses will be more likely with travel as well.

Umpire Salary in the IPL – Highest-Paid Umpires and Match Stats

Umpires perform just as important a job as the players do, and on-top of fairly officiating a match, they have to manage critical and high-pressure decisions that can swing on-field results. So, it's only fair that top umpires in the Indian Premier League are compensated well. 

Here is a summary of the top 6 IPL umpires by fee/season, along with estimated earnings per season, and the amount of matches officiated as an umpire in the IPL:

How Well Do IPL Umpires Get Paid For A Match And For A Season?

Each of these seasoned officials earns close to ₹ 2 lakh per match, with the average umpiring role being 15–20 matches per season, taking their total pay-day to ₹ 7 lakh or more. As the IPL continues to develop a larger and larger global audience, IPL umpires' potential earnings in a season also grow, creating a deeper, and rewarding career in cricket, in a way that is not only as a player.

Check More: IPL Commentators Salary 2025

Breakdown of Umpire Salary in IPL 2025

Umpires' salary in IPL 2025 reflects their skill and experience, and the number of games they officiate is also quite significant. Here is a full breakdown of their salaries for the season.

Top 6 Highest-Paid Umpires in IPL 2025

These well-experienced, precise, and consistent umpires are essential to the fair play of every game in the Indian Premier League. Let's take a look at the highest-paid umpires in IPL 2025, their earnings, and their impact on the game.

1. Anil Chaudhary

One of the more experienced umpires in the IPL is Anil Chaudhary. For each match, he receives a fee of ₹1,98,000 earning him a seasonal total of ₹7,33,000. He has umpired a total of 121 IPL matches which demonstrates how valuable he is in Indian cricket. It is also important to note that he was appointed to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires in June 2020 and is one of only three Indians to achieve this milestone.

2. Christopher Gaffaney

Former New Zealand cricketer and current elite umpire Christopher Gaffaney is a respected name in the IPL. He receives the same fee of ₹1,98,000 per match and total seasonal earnings of ₹7,33,000. Gaffaney has umpired a total of 77 IPL matches and has been a member of the ICC Elite Panel since 2015 - showing his international status and recognition in the ranks.

3. Nitin Menon

Nitin Menon is one of India's top umpires and is paid ₹1,98,000 for each IPL game, earning around ₹7,33,000 in a season. Menon is considered to be a good decision maker in situations involving high pressure. He has umpired 94 IPL games.

He was inducted into the ICC Elite panel in 2020, making him the youngest Indian to become a part of the panel and currently the only Indian umpire in that elite group.

4. C. Shamshuddin

C. Shamshuddin is one of the veteran umpires and is extremely significant in terms of upholding the integrity of the IPL matches. He is paid ₹1,98,000 per game and earns a total of about ₹7,33,000 in a season. His contributions to the umpiring in IPL are recognized for many years due to his service.

He has been the third umpire for 89 total games in the IPL and is known for his calmness, as well as his trustworthy/WKI decision-making during pressure situations.

5. KN Ananthapadmanabhan

K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan is yet again and another example of one of India's top umpires. He is paid ₹1,98,000 for each game he umpires and earns a reasonable amount of ₹7,33,000 in a specific season.

Ananthapadmanabhan has stood in 65 IPL matches, and was inducted into ICC elite panel in June 2020 making him a top official with respect to global cricket.

6. Bruce Oxenford

Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford is famous not only for his abilities as an umpire, but also for the unique protective gear he wears on field. In the IPL, he gets ₹1,98,000 per match, and approximately ₹7,33,000 for the season.

Oxenford has officiated in 64 matches in the IPL, and has been in the ICC Elite Panel since 2012. He also brings international experience, which adds a lot of value to the IPL.

How IPL's Growth Impact Umpire Salaries 

Umpire salaries have skyrocketed with the increasing demand and brand value of the league. Back in 2008 umpires were paid a measly INR 40,000 per match; now elite umpires are paid INR 1,98,000 (a 400% increase). 

This increase is in direct correlation with IPL's established brand value, which in 2018 was $6.3 billion, and by 2022 had climbed to $8.4 billion (Duff & Phelps). As IPL garners fans around the world and money from bigger sponsors, the BCCI will ensure the highest level of umpiring is compensated to attract the best talent. Umpiring in cricket has become a lucrative job.

Conclusion: Elite Umpires Receive Top Salary in IPL

Umpire salaries within the IPL have increased considerably and have become on par with the umpires' growing importance to the game. As a matter of fact, elite umpires earn INR 1,98,000 per match, making their estimated seasonal earnings worth INR 7,33,000 - this amount represents a drastic increase from the earlier seasons.