In a historic development, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has taken an important and much-needed step for its players. In fact, the MCA has decided to start a proper contract system for Mumbai domestic cricketers from the 2026-27 season.
The state association took this bold decision to help players work hard in domestic cricket but not get opportunities in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or the Indian national cricket team. Now they will finally get some financial support and stability thanks to this historic measure.
Mumbai players to get annual contracts as MCA takes bold step
As reported by the Indian Express, the Mumbai Cricket Association has divided players into three categories: Grade A, Grade B and Grade C. Grade A players will earn between ₹12 lakh to ₹20 lakh per year, while Grade B players will earn ₹8 lakh to ₹12 lakh.
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C grade players will receive ₹8 lakh annually from the MCA. This is the first time that a state association in India has implemented such a contract system. This structure is mainly introduced for those players who perform brilliantly in national tournaments but do not yet have great opportunities.
MCA President Ajinkya Naik stated, “We had earlier promised that the MCA would come up with the contract system and we finalized it in the last Apex Council meeting. A lot of thought has gone into it and we have tried to cover every area. Not all players get the opportunity to play in the IPL. This contract will help many players today who play all formats of the game in Mumbai.”
Strict rules are established for the contract system; Mumbai players set to get financial boost
However, there are some basic rules that need to be included in the Mumbai Cricket Association’s annual contract system. A player must be registered with MCA and must be fit as per their fitness standards.
Additionally, players who have played for India or been part of an IPL team in the last two seasons will not be eligible. The selection committee will also recommend players before awarding them contracts.
In 2024, the Mumbai Cricket Association decided to give Ranji Trophy players the same match fees as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The board pays the players between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000 per day, and MCA also gives the same amount.
So, Mumbai players earn money from both BCCI and Mumbai Cricket Association for every match, and now this contract system is a great reward for their hard work.
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Wankhede to host MI vs PBKS IPL 2026 clash
Meanwhile, Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, run by the Mumbai Cricket Association, is gearing up for the big IPL 2026 match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday, April 16.
However, the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai team is struggling and cannot find the right team combination. They have lost their last three matches and are currently in ninth place with just one win.
On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings are doing very well. So far they have not lost a single match, winning three matches, while one match was eliminated against KKR.