Referees are often the lightning rod of criticism for both right and wrong reasons. Did you ever wonder how much a Premier League referee salary is? How much money do they get for undertaking a problematic but seldom appreciated role? Here we will break down the financial benefits a Premier League referee gets.
How Much Does A Premier League Referee Earn?
The Premier League provides a regular salary to its referee apart from individual match fees. A popular publication reveals referees in the Premier League can make as much as £70,000 annually. For officiating a Premier League match, a referee receives a match fee of £1,150. Besides that, referees enjoy a yearly retainer worth £38,500 to £42,000.
Premier League referees are often selected for officiating Champions League, Europa League and international matches. Once you factor in that income, the yearly earnings of a Premier League referee can touch the £200,000 mark.
Premier League Referee Salaries 2023/24
| Role | Match Fee | Salary (Annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Video Referees | £850 | £30,000 |
| Assistant Referees | £850 | £30,000 |
| Referees | £1,150 | £70,000-£200,000 |
Do All Referees In The UK Make The Same Amount Of Money?
Of course, not! Premier League is the creme de la creme of domestic football in the UK and worldwide. There is no other league in the world that can beat the commercial appeal of the Premier League. Therefore, referees plying their trades in the Premier League would obviously make more money than lower league referees.
In the Championship, England’s second-tier football, referees have a similar yearly retainer. But, the match fee is almost half. For officiating a Championship tie, a referee’s remuneration is £600.
In semi-professional leagues, referees get £80 per match plus expenses.
How Much Money Do Referees Make In Other European Leagues?
In other parts of Europe, referees do not have the financial security of annual retainers. They only get match fees, but the amount fluctuates depending on what matches they officiate. The costs are much higher in high-profile games. For example, a La Liga referee makes €6,000 for officiating at the Santiago Bernabeu or Camp Nou.
The match fees in La Liga are the highest in Europe. Referees in Germany, Italy, and France make about half the money, compared to Spanish referees.
How Much Money Do Referees Make For Officiating Champions League Matches?
The Champions League is the most prestigious competition in European football, and it has a befitting compensation package for Champions League referees, which is more lucrative than the match fees offered by major European leagues.
Senior referees make £7500 per game, while Elite Development referees earn £5000 for officiating a Champions League tie. Non-Elite tier referees earn far less, though. They receive a paycheck of £2000 at most for every match they oversee.
Champions League Salaries 23/24
| Tier | Match Referee | Assistant Referee | Var Official |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third Tier | £750 | £250 | N/A |
| Second Tier | £1500 | £400 | N/A |
| First Tier | £2000 | £550 | N/A |
| Elite Development | £5000 | £1500 | £600 |
| Elite | £7500 | £2000 | £750 |
Who Is The Richest Referee In The Premier League?
Mike Dean is associated with some of the most controversial calls in Premier League history, but the 53-year-old sits at the top of the earnings list of Premier League referees. Dean, who has been officiating in the Premier League since 2000, makes £200,000 per year. However, he is not the only one who earns that much money.
Michael Oliver and Martin Atkinson also take home £200,000 per year for their troubles.
- Mike Dean – £1,500 – £200,000
- Michael Oliver – £1,500 – £200,000
- Martin Atkinson – £1,500 – £200,000
- Anthony Taylor – £1,500 – £70,000
- Kevin Friend – £1,500 – £70,000
- Chris Kavanagh – £1,500 – £70,000
- Paul Tierney – £1,500 – £70,000
- Jonathan Moss – £1,500 – £70,000
- Andre Marriner – £1,500 – £70,000
- Stuart Atwell – £1,500 – £70,000
- Graham Scott – £1,500 – £48,000
- Craig Pawson – £1,500 – £48,000
- Lee Mason – £1,500 – £48,000
- David Coote – £1,500 – £48,000
- Simon Harper – £1,500 – £48,000
- Peter Bankes – £1,500 – £48,000
- Andy Madley – £1,500 – £48,000
Who Is The Richest Referee In The World?
Bjorn Kuipers, the Dutch referee who was in charge of the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy at Wembley, is the wealthiest referee in the world of football. Kuipers, however, did not amass his wealth from refereeing revenues. He owes his £12 million net worth to his supermarket chain. As a referee, he makes around £100,000 per year.
Mark Clattenburg draws the highest salary in the world as a football referee. The former Premier League official reportedly makes £500,000 per year as the head of referees in the Saudi Arabian league.
Final Say
So, what do you think about the referee salary in the Premier League? Do you think they earn more than they deserve, or their income is justified by the efforts they put on the pitch? Whatever your thoughts are let us know in the comments.
