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Breaking Down the Paycheck: A Look at Football Referee Salaries

We take a closer look at referees’ paychecks in the beautiful game.

Kaylan Geekie
Kaylan Geekie

Last Updated: 2024-04-16

Louis Hobbs

4 minutes read

Euro banknotes with red and yellow referee cards

Image Credit: Marco Verch

Did you ever wonder how much money professional football referees get paid?

How much money do referees get paid for undertaking this underappreciated role in association football?

Here at Sportsboom, we’ve decided to break down European referee salaries, match fees, and bonuses.

In short, the best-paid football referee salaries go to La Liga officials in Spain. English Premier League officials in England are the second-best remunerated.

Serie A referees in Italy are the third-highest paid, while Germany's Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1 follow in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

What do football referees get paid?

Football officiating is a profession in which salary and pay structure go unnoticed.

Most football supporters are apathetic, concerning themselves more with the salaries of the superstar players.

However, it seems that when referees are not handing out yellow cards, they are earning a decent packet for their efforts on the football pitch. 

Image Credits: Steindy

Image Credits: Steindy

Who are the best-paid football officials in Europe?

Football referees in Spain earn the best salaries in Europe. La Liga referees earn £124,256 salary and an added £4,205 match fee.

Spanish top-flight officials earn £2,102 per La Liga match if they are on Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duty.

Like professional football players, Spanish officials get paid an extra £21,929 per year for their image rights.

Countries with the best-paid football referees in Europe’s Top 5 Leagues

 

Country 

League

Salary

Match Fee

VAR

Spain

La Liga

£124,256

£4,205

£2,102

England

Premier League

£73,191 ­- £147,258

£1,116

£837 

Italy

Serie A

£76,954 -£77,345

£3,420 - £3,437

£1,453 - £1,461

Germany

Bundesliga

£52,977 - £70,067

£4,784

£1,794

France

Ligue 1

£66,716 - £67,058

£2,865 - £2,880

£855 - £859

Image Credit: Niko4it

Image Credit: Niko4it

How much money do Premier League football referees earn in England?

English Premier League officials get paid on a sliding scale between £73,191, £105,257, and £147,258, depending on their experience and rank.

English referees can earn less than their Spanish colleagues or more; however, Premier League officials do not get image rights.

Premier League match fees are £1,116 per game. VAR officials earn £837 per game in the English top flight.

EPL refs receive a bonus based on the quality of their matchday performances. 

Image Credit: Steindy

Image Credit: Steindy

How much money do Serie A football referees get paid in Italy?

Serie A referees in Italy get paid a salary of £76,954 to £77,345, with a £3,420 to £3,437 match fee.

The match fee for Italian football VAR duty is between £1,453 and £1,461.

The lowest-paid English top-division referee will earn less than their Italian colleagues.

However, Serie A officials do not earn on a sliding scale because Italy has a capped wage structure. 

Image Credit: Marco Verch

Image Credit: Marco Verch

How much money do Bundesliga referees earn in Germany?

In Germany, like England, there is a difference between salaries depending on their experience and level of officiating.

German Bundesliga referees get paid less than their Spanish and English counterparts.

German referees with fewer than five years’ experience receive £52,977 per year, climbing to £61,522 when they pass the five-year threshold.

The elite referees receive £70,067 per annum salary. The match fee for a Bundesliga game is £4,784. VARs earn £1,794 per match. 

How much money do football referees earn in France?

French top-flight referees are paid the lowest salary compared to referees in the other top five leagues.

Ligue 1 referees are paid £66,716 to £67,058 in France.

The French officials earn £2,865 to £2,880 per match.

However, match fees for VAR in Ligue 1 range from £855 to £859, more than English Premier League officials earn. 

FAQs

Which country has the best-paid football referees in Europe?

Spain has the best-paid football referees in Europe.

Which football league has the highest-paid football referee salaries in Europe?

La Liga, Spain's top-flight football league, has the highest-paid referees in football in Europe.

Which league pays the best football VAR match fee?

Spain's La Liga pays the best football VAR match fee in Europe.

Which league pays the highest football referee match fee in Europe?

La Liga in Spain pays the highest football referee match fee in Europe.

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Kaylan Geekie
Kaylan Geekie Sports Writer

Kaylan Geekie is a sports fanatic. He attended Durban High School before moving to Scotland, where he lived for 15 years. During his time in the United Kingdom, Kaylan graduated with a first-class BA Honours Degree in Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland. Kaylan worked for nine years as the Match-Day Editor of SuperXV.com, reporting on Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the 2015 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2017 British & Irish Lions series for the website.