Income Tax Return filing: How BCCI handles and files taxes in India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is, by far, the wealthiest cricket board on the planet, and its financial dominance only grew stronger in FY24. With total revenue surging to a staggering Rs 20,686 crore, up by Rs 4,200 crore from the previous year, the BCCI’s coffers are unmatched among the world’s 108 cricket boards. A massive driver of this growth remains the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has transformed cricket into a commercial juggernaut. In 2022, BCCI signed a record-breaking media rights deal worth Rs 48,390 crore with Disney Star and Viacom18. This blockbuster agreement alone ensures a steady flood of cash every season. Bilateral series media rights and ICC distributions add more heft to the board’s already massive income stream.

CA Nitin Kaushik breaks down the earnings of BCCI like a balance sheet:

For FY24, the BCCI reported audited revenue of Rs 9,741.71 crore — a sharp 48.5% jump from Rs 6,558.80 crore in FY23. Breaking it down:

Rs 5,761 crore – IPL

Rs 1,042.35 crore – ICC distributions

Rs 813.14 crore – Non-IPL media rights

Rs 377.50 crore – Women’s Premier League

Rs 361.22 crore – India Men’s matches

Rs 1,377.96 crore – Other income (including ₹986.45 crore from interest)

The IPL alone contributes 59% of BCCI’s total revenue — an astonishing figure considering it spans just two months of play each year.

Yet, despite these billions, the BCCI paid ₹0 in income tax for FY24. The reason? It enjoys a tax exemption under Section 12AA of the Income Tax Act, reserved for charitable organisations. The BCCI is officially registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, with the stated objective of promoting and developing cricket in India.

As long as the board channels its surplus into cricket development — from grassroots programs to infrastructure — it qualifies as a non-profit for income tax purposes. In essence, BCCI operates like a multi-billion-dollar enterprise but is taxed like an NGO.

Tax-free status

This tax-free status isn’t new. In 2021, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal reaffirmed the BCCI’s exemption. But that doesn’t mean the government earns nothing from cricket’s cash machine.

For one, the board does pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) on IPL earnings. Between 2022-23 and 2023-24, BCCI deposited over Rs 2,038.55 crore in GST, according to data shared in Parliament.

Then there’s Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on player salaries — a big-ticket item during the IPL auctions. In the 2025 mega auction, franchises spent Rs 639.15 crore on acquiring players, with 120 Indian and 62 overseas cricketers securing contracts.

Under Indian tax rules:

Indian players have 10% TDS deducted from their earnings.

Foreign players face a 20% TDS cut.

This alone resulted in Rs 89.49 crore in TDS collections from IPL 2025, ensuring that while the league enjoys an income tax exemption, player paychecks still contribute significantly to government revenue.

Unmatched financial model

The BCCI’s revenue machine is firing on all cylinders — ticket sales, broadcast rights, sponsorship deals, fantasy gaming tie-ups, and digital partnerships all feed into its ever-growing war chest. Few sports organisations in the world can boast such diverse and lucrative revenue streams.

Critics may question whether a body generating nearly Rs 10,000 crore annually should continue enjoying tax-exempt status. Supporters, however, argue that the reinvestment of these earnings into cricketing infrastructure, talent development, and international promotion justifies the exemption.