Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Ryan Dabbs

How much are Premier League referees paid?

Referee Michael Oliver looks on during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Fulham FC at City Ground on April 02, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images).

Premier League referees are highly-scrutinised individuals having their every decision argued with, championed and ridiculed - and now it's been revealed how much they actually earn. 

While Premier League footballers earn millions upon millions of pounds every season - for some, it takes just a matter of weeks - referees in England's top flight aren't quite as handsomely paid. 

Though it's still an extremely good wedge to take home, you might be surprised to see how much Premier League referees are actually paid.

How much are Premier League referees paid? 

Referee Anthony Taylor (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to The Athletic, Premier League referees are paid either £73,191 a year, £105,257, or £147,258, depending on how experienced they are at the top level and their rank within the PGMOL. 

In addition, they are paid an extra £1,116 per game they officiate. That means if one of the highest-regarded referees in the Premier League works across all 38 games in a season, they could earn £189,666 in a single campaign - and that's before factoring in the additional £837 they're awarded for working as the video assistant referee (VAR). 

On top of that, the report suggests that bonuses are also awarded per game based on performance levels, which are dependent on how many "key match incidents" a referee correctly calls. 

Referee Simon Hooper at Brentford  (Image credit: Getty Images)

Those figures don't take into account a referee officiating European and international matches, either, highlighting the potential earnings of a top-level official. 

In Spain, however, La Liga referees earn a higher fixed salary of £124,256, with an additional £4,205 match fee awarded - or £2,102 for a VAR. Bizarrely, officials in La Liga are also paid for advertising the Wurth Group on their kits during games, which equates to an extra £21,929 a year. 

More Premier League stories 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lifts lid on Cristiano Ronaldo's second Manchester United move, suggesting "signing him again was the right thing to do".

Gary O’Neil's stock continues to rise after an impressive season with Wolves, with TNT Sports reporter Jules Breach picking her alternative Premier League manager of the season. 

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.