With the latest controversy around Premier League official, David Coote, we decided to look into how much money referees make in England’s top flight.
The PGMOL has received huge criticism since it was formed in 2001, primarily after mistakes made by officials in England’s top division.
However, the most recent backlash has arrived following a video of referee, David Coote, being leaked where the English official slams Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool in an expletive rant.
This has brought even more focus and scrutiny on the PGMOL, with Howard Webb being forced to make a statement over the issue.
With the amount of abuse and criticism that is directed towards Premier League officials, we wanted to know if the salary is worthwhile.
How Much Money Do Premier League Referees Make?
As previously mentioned, the PGMOL was formed in 2001 and became the first professional governing body for referees in world football.
Prior to this, officials worked part-time except for a few referees at the time and introduction of the PGMOL meant that each official would earn a base salary of £35,000.
Fast forward to 2024, Premier League officials are said to be earning around £1,116 per match which is the same for each referee involved in the match.
This is not counted towards their salary, as these match rates come on top of a full-time salary which can be anywhere between £73,191 and £147,258 – with the sum varying for officials with more experience.
The highest paid Premier League official of all time is Mike Dean, who was reportedly earning an annual summary of £200,000 in the final years before his retirement.
Salaries for Premier League officials seem to be fair, as the average annual salary in the United Kingdom is around £35,000.
The aforementioned referee, David Coote, is set to quit from his role as a Premier League official and this means he will lose out on a reported salary of £100,000.
Premier League Officials
- Anthony Taylor
- Michael Oliver
- Robert Jones
- Chris Kavanagh
- Samuel Barrott
- Stuart Attwell
- Craig Pawson
- Peter Bankes
- Tony Harrington
- David Coote
- Simon Hooper
- Darren Bond
- Tim Robinson
- Andrew Madley
- Jarred Gillett
- Darren England
- John Brooks
- Samuel Allison
- Josh Smith
- Lewis Smith
- Michael Salisbury
- Thomas Bramall
Are Premier League Referees Fined For Making Mistakes?
A full answer to this question over Premier League officials being punished for slipping up is not set in stone, but reports have revealed that yearly bonuses are impacted if a referee makes a major mistake.
The PGMOL has not set any concrete rules for officials to be financially impacted by mistakes, but the league does dish out punishment for sloppy work as a ref.
Officials can be removed from matches if an error is made, or dropped down the leagues to referee in EFL matches instead of the top-flight.
How Much Do Premier League Refs Make In Comparison To Other Top 5 Leagues?
When comparing the salaries of Premier League referees to other top five leagues, it makes for positive viewing if you work in England’s top division.
However, La Liga is the leading competition when it comes to paying their officials, as every referee is paid the same amount and earns a whopping salary of £124,256.
In a similar fashion, officials in Serie A are all paid a similar amount with each ref earning between £76,954 and £77,345.
For referees in France and Germany, the annual salaries are less attractive as the highest yearly pay is less than the lowest amount in England.
Officials in France’s top division can earn between £66,716 and £67,058, while referee’s in Germany have a bigger range – earning between £52,977 and £70,067 per year.
All numbers relating to salary per GiveMeSport
