Football
Curious About Semi-Pro Footballer Salaries in the UK? Find Out here!
The fifth tier of English football (National League) is regarded as the highest semi-pro league in the UK.
Image Credits: Paul Harding/Getty Images
It is widely known how well top footballers are paid. The wages for the players and managers have gone through the roof as football has evolved and progressed. Especially after the increased sponsorships and television deals, the money involved in football continues to increase every day.
Talking about the UK football scene, the Vanarama National League, formerly known as the Conference National is known as the bridge between semi-pro and professional football.
The fifth tier of English football was regarded as the highest semi-pro league. But as of the 2023-24 season that just ended, only three clubs left in the division were semi-pro.
Once again the increased sponsorships and television deals have helped in a steady cash flow into the league and then into the clubs competing in the league.
With all things considered, the average attendance numbers are up and with the players making more than ever before, the question arises: How much do semi-pro footballers get paid in the UK? Read here to find out.
Is the Vanarama National League a semi-pro or professional league now?
With relegation and promotion happening at the end of each passing season, many EFL clubs are now competing in the Vanarama National League. The example of Oldham, a former Premier League club are currently competing in the 5th tier of English football.
While on the other side of the spectrum is the success story of Max Kilman, who has gone from the non-league to the Premier League and established himself as one of the best upcoming English central defenders.
Normally any club getting promoted to the 4th tier ie the EFL League Two would be considered a professional club. But with the increase in quality in recent years, it has become unclear whether the Vanarama National League is a semi-pro or professional league.
How much do players earn in the Vanarama National League?
When we talk about the average wage of a Vanarama National League player, the data is scarce and there is no real evidence to prove the facts. But the average wage is expected to be between £1,000 and £1,500 a week. Across the year, that means the average wage for National League players is between £52,000 and £78,000.
But it is also important to note that just like the English Premier League, there will be many players slightly above or below the average wage depending on various different factors.
Who was the highest-paid National League players in recent years?
Image Credits: @PMullin7 (X Accounts)
During the 2022-23 season, Wrexham AFC owned by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds won the league title. They were also home to the highest-paid stars in the league, former Newcastle United centre-half Ben Tozer and Paul Mullin, with both players earning a reported £4,000 per week. At the same time, other reports claimed that the two-star players were earning up to £3,000 per week.
Both reported numbers were way above and beyond the average wage in the Vanarama National League.
The reported contracts put Tozer and Mullin above the League Two average contract closer to the EFL League One average wage.
How do Vanarama National League salaries compare to other EFL leagues?
Talking about the fourth tier of English football, the average wage is around £2,500, compared to the £1,000-£1,500 in the fifth tier.
While the average EFL League One player earns around £5,000 a week, this gets bumped up to £12,600 per week for the second tier of English football: the EFL Championship.
These numbers look set to increase more and more in the upcoming years with all the factors including fans, viewership numbers, average attendance, sponsorship and TV deals on the rise.
With over a decade of experience in sports writing, Hardik Malhotra has built a distinguished career in the internet industry. His expertise spans across various domains including Art Direction, Web Content Writing, and Content Management, all underscored by a high degree of initiative. Hardik’s passion for sports is reflected in his professional journey and personal interests.