We don’t want to celebritise referees, but we want to humanise them.
Howard Webb, Chief Refereeing Officer, Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL)
In the past two decades, refereeing in football has undergone significant changes, making the question of referee salaries more relevant than ever. The introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) and the growing presence of women in officiating have brought new attention to the earnings of those who enforce the Laws of the Game. These shifts have not only affected how matches are officiated but also sparked fresh discussions about the compensation referees receive. In this article, we dive deep into the evolving landscape of football refereeing, revealing insights beyond the typical salary figures. From high-profile matches to grassroots games, we explore the factors shaping referee pay and uncover trends and issues that extend beyond the numbers in this chart.
Quick Answer: Average Earnings of Football Referees
| League Name/Event | Annual pay | Match fee | Championship matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | Refs: £39 000 Assts: £30 000 | Refs: £1 140 Assts: £850 | Refs: £6 147 Assts: no data |
| Bundesliga | Depending on level €2 500 €4 000 €6 000 | Refs: €3 600 Assts: €1 000 | Refs: €7 000 Assts: no data |
| Champions League | N/A | N/A | Refs: from $1 000 to $10 000, depending on level Assts: $350 to $3 000, depending on level |
| FIFA matches | N/A | N/A | Refs: $3 000 - $10 000 Assts: $2 500 - $5 000 |
| A-League | No data | No data | No data |
| Female Referees | No data | No data | No data |
- Premier League referees: £73,000–£148,000 per year, plus match fees
- Lower leagues (England): Often paid per match, sometimes £20–£40 or less
- Bundesliga referees: Around €125,000 per year on average
- UEFA Champions League: Up to $10,000 per match for elite referees
- FIFA tournaments: Match fees plus a $70,000 base salary
Earnings by League and Competition
The amount a referee earns will depend on the league, competition level, and governing body. Domestic leagues, international tournaments, and continental competitions all have different pay structures. Let's explore how much referees can expect to be paid in each.
Premier League Referees (England)
Premier League referees belong to the Select Group One (SG1), which consists of 21 full-time officials.
Their annual salaries range from £73,000 to £148,000, depending on experience, with an additional match fee of around £1,100 per game.
Assistant referee salaries are approximately £60,000.
Most football fans don't give any thought to the salary for Premier League referees - or any referees, for that matter. After all, it's the players who make the game... or is it?
Consider how often referees use their hand signals - red and yellow cards- to call out players' bad behaviour. Without those officials, rival players may well turn every match into a boxing event.
That establishes the need for officials and their importance.
However, it doesn't explain the difference in earnings - often a gulf, rather than a gap. Big names in football rake in millions. Kevin de Bruyne (Man City) takes home more than £20 million, and Harry Kane rakes in £21 million (now that he's with Bayern Munich).
So, not every footballer has massive paydays, but they can work their way up. By contrast, the salary for a football referee has a ceiling. Based on the most recent available data, the English Premier League referee salary hovers around £3,246 per month, with an additional £1,140 for each game they officiate. Should they officiate a Champions League game, they will collect an additional £6,147.
In England, the organisation responsible for managing and overseeing professional football referees is the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). Established in 2001, PGMOL is tasked with training, developing, and appointing referees and assistant referees for matches in the Premier League, English Football League (EFL), and FA competitions.
PGMOL ensures that referees maintain high standards of officiating through continuous assessment and development programs. The organisation is led by the Chief Refereeing Officer, a role currently held by Howard Webb. Under his leadership, PGMOL has emphasised transparency and improvement in officiating standards across English football.
Recent reports have highlighted the financial aspects of refereeing under PGMOL's jurisdiction. Premier League referees, categorised under Select Group 1, earn annual salaries ranging from £73,000 to £148,000, supplemented by match fees and performance bonuses. Top-tier referees can earn up to £250,000 per year, with the total cost to PGMOL, including pensions and national insurance contributions, averaging £240,000 per referee.
Championship and Lower Leagues (England)
At the risk of stating the obvious, football ranks among the world's favourite sports. Kids as young as four have a blast kicking the ball around the pitch. By the time they're seven or eight, they play in matches, participate in tournaments, and claim trophies.
As for every football match, these games require at least one ref and two assistants. Often, they are young, inexperienced, or both. They do not earn what a high-profile league referee might, or even a middle-profile league ref. They might earn £20-40, or nothing at all, other than experience.
These officials come in different pay grades across all leagues. And to inform you that we cite data from 2023, the latest numbers available to us.
Assistant Referees
Even lukewarm football fans know that refs cannot oversee the match alone. Assistants stand on opposite sidelines, at opposite ends of the pitch, to see what the game official isn't positioned to see. Also, Video Assistant referees (VARs) help officials make just calls. These assistants earn £850/match, just over half of the referee’s per-match compensation
In all, a top-tier English Premier League (EPL referee's salary amounts to just under £100,000/year (£ 96,634). Keep in mind that the most famous football referees can enhance their pay packets with endorsements and other appearances. However, those worthies are far fewer than famous football players.
Bundesliga Referees (Germany)
The Premier League is pretty generous to its officials. However, the Bundesliga in Germany outspends its rivals to attract and retain top football talent.
After all, that's where Harry Kane went when his UK league salary topped out. Bundesliga doesn't just compensate their footballers well; its referees rank among the best paid in the sport.
Monthly base pay:
- €2,500
- €4,000
- €6,000
- depending on level
Per-game fee:
- referee: €3,600
- Assistant ref/VAR: €1,100
Champions League:
- referees: €7,000
Bundesliga refs' annual compensation hovers at €125,000, excluding endorsements and other earnings. Where Premier League refs may officiate any number of games (typically, 20/year), Bundesliga caps its refs at 20 games.
A-League Referees (Australia)
For all of our searching and asking, every source we turned to was mum on Australian football referee compensation. At best, we found a generated response that set obviously artificial boundaries. Even researching individual names - Ben Abraham and Adam Kersey, e.g., delivers little more than their record, if that.
And nothing about Australian referees' pay scale. Now calling Australian football fans, friends and referees! If you can help us update our stats, let us know in the comments. Thanks!
UEFA Champions League Referee Pay
Talk about a referee's salary in Champions League events, and you're talking serious money.
These are the events that everyone wants to become a referee for, perhaps not for the big payday, or maybe not just for the payday. Still, refereeing these matches makes for a nice bank account cushion.
Match referee
- Elite: $10,000
- Elite Dev.: $6,500
- First: $3,000
- Second: $2,000
- Third: $1,000
Asst ref/VAR:
- Elite: $3,000
- Elite Dev.: $2,000
- First: $750
- Second: $550
- Third: $350
Fourth Umpire:
- Elite: $1,000
- Elite Dev: $800
- First: 0
- Second: 0
- Third: 0
UEFA considers an official elite if they have between 5 and 7 years of experience officiating top-tier events. An 'Elite Development' (elite dev.) ref should have at least five years in; a 'Third' might just have begun their Championship referee experience.
Does UEFA Set Referee Salaries?
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) oversees the major European elite football clubs. Those include La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy), Ligue 1 (France), and the Bundesliga (Germany), among others. This body oversees match and tournament coordination. It does not set any salaries.
The typical international football referee's salary runs relatively close to the Bundesliga's standards. Naturally, wealthier clubs can afford to compensate their officials more. Some leagues do not cap the number of events their referees serve. Otherwise, what some assume are UEFA salaries are actually Champions League official salaries.
FIFA Referee Pay
If a spectator gives any attention to match officials, it is during Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) contests. Passions run high on the pitch, with so much at stake. Footballers and fans aren't above shoving and shouting, and that's when the referees take centre stage.
These refs know everything there is to know about refereeing, and their wage vouchers show it. They have the experience to call the most high-profile events, and the endurance to see those contests through.
The game referee
- Group-stage game; $3,000
- Playoffs and/or finals: $10,000
- Total possible fee: $300,000
Asst ref
- Group-stage: $2,500
- Playoffs/finals: $5,000
- Total possible fee: $150,000
Fourth Official
- Group-stage: $2,500
- Playoffs and/or finals: $5,000
- Total possible fee: $150,000
VAR
- Group-stage: $3,000
- Playoffs and/or finals: $5,000
- Total possible fee: $175,000
In addition to the per-game fee, FIFA pays referees a $70,000 base salary. In 2018, this governing body decided on a higher compensation level and to offer assistant referees a base salary. VARs, for all the difference they've made to officiating football, have yet to benefit from such generosity.
Challenges and Considerations in Refereeing
Pay disparity between footballers and referees is a talking point in football. Pay disparity between male and female referees across all leagues is another, far more important one. Several news outlets reported on Spain's Women's League matches being delayed (in 2022).
It was because all the referees went on strike. They earned €320, compared to the male referees' €4,200/per match payout. After the club owners' initial bluster, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) gave in. The matches went on, as scheduled, the following weekend.
While researching this article, we found numerous certified sources on referee salaries across all leagues (see below). We found none that specifically detailed female referees' salaries. However, we found four credible sources that all said the same thing. Women referees make 10-15% less than their male counterparts.
Female footballers' struggles for equal pay have garnered lots of publicity over the years. The sports world is mum about equal pay for female referees. Even the top female referees reportedly do not earn as much as their male counterparts. Nor do they have the visibility they need to land lucrative endorsement deals.
- Reports suggest female referees earn 10–15% less than male counterparts
- In 2022, referees in Spain’s women’s league went on strike over pay disparity
- Transparent salary data for female referees is limited across most leagues
- Lower visibility can restrict access to elite appointments and bonuses
If the pay situation is so dire for female referees, imagine the kettle of fish female assistant referees stew in. They're just as passionate about the game, but earn far less. Yet even today, fans, commentators, and players speculate on their ability to referee (and worse!).
Female refs, in general, are occasionally censored out of the televised matches they referee, due to cultural norms about women's appearance. That denies them the exposure they need to advance in the ranks, which would pave the way to higher earnings.
References
- Salary breakdown: https://onefootball.com/fr/news/how-much-do-football-referees-get-paid-in-the-premier-league-la-liga-serie-a-37119452
- UEFA salaries: https://goalballlive.com/uefa-champions-league-referee-salary/
- FIFA salaries: https://thesportsgrail.com/fifa-world-cup-2022-full-referees-and-match-officials-salary-list/
- Women's salaries: https://wifitalents.com/statistic/football-referee-salary/ ; https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/how-much-premier-league-referees-20470088
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