Premier League Referee Salary: How Much Do They Earn?

Premier League Referee Salary: How Much Do They Earn?

When we talk about the Premier League, it’s always about the superstars, Mohamed Salah’s goals, Kevin De Bruyne’s passes, Erling Haaland’s… everything.

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But what about the people in the middle of it all, literally? Yes, the referees. The ones making the calls, brandishing cards, and getting absolutely rinsed by fans no matter what they do.

So, how much does it actually pay to be the most-loved-hated person on the pitch? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Let’s lift the whistle on Premier League referee salaries.

1. Who Actually Pays Premier League Refs?

Premier League referees aren’t lone wolves freelancing with a whistle. They’re employed by PGMOL - that’s Professional Game Match Officials Limited for the acronym-adverse.

Premier League referees are employed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

PGMOL handles everything: selecting who officiates which match, training new referees, reviewing performances, and keeping a tight lid on standards.

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And who funds PGMOL? That would be a trio of English football powerhouses: the Premier League, the English Football League (EFL), and the Football Association (FA). So technically, when you buy a matchday pie or a replica shirt, a few pennies might end up paying for your local ref’s haircut.

2. What’s the Base Salary for a Premier League Ref?

Let’s get to the numbers. The elite group of full-time Premier League referees, known as Select Group 1, earn a pretty comfortable £180,000-a-year, on average. Not bad for a job that doesn’t involve dodging two-footed tackles (though angry managers might come close).

On top of that, refs are paid per match, meaning there’s a little extra boost for every whistle they blow. Add that up over a 38-week season, and suddenly it’s not just the players driving luxury cars.

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3. Do They Get Paid for International and European Games Too?

You bet. Some Premier League referees get called up to officiate Champions League, Europa League, or international fixtures, and yes, those come with separate match fees. It’s the equivalent of a freelance gig, but on an elite footballing stage. A nice pay bump and a break from managing Mikel Arteta’s high-energy touchline presence? Win-win.

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4. What About Assistant Referees and VAR Officials?

Don’t worry, the sideline crew isn’t left out. Assistant referees, aka the ones flagging for offside and getting screamed at anyway, take home around £110,000 a year, according to the referees’ chief, Howard Webb.

VAR officials also get well paid.

Meanwhile, VAR officials (those mysterious beings in Stockley Park) are also drawn from the top referee pool and earn similar fees for their part in every controversial review. So yes, even the people freezing in a control room while fans lose their minds over pixelated offsides are well compensated.

5. How Do Championship and WSL Referees Compare?

Step down a league, and the salaries step down too. Select Group 2 officials, those who oversee Championship matches, earn around £120,000, plus match fees. They’ll also sometimes pop up in the Premier League as fourth officials or VAR subs.

The PGMOL has manages WSL referees too.

Over in the Women’s Super League (WSL), things are changing. Since 2021, PGMOL has managed WSL referees too. Led by trailblazer Rebecca Welch, the Women’s Professional Game Match Officials group is now a mix of men and women, many of whom also officiate in other competitions. Salaries here are improving but aren’t yet on par with the men’s game.

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6. Do Refs Get Performance Bonuses?

Yes, and no, it’s not for how loudly they blow the whistle. Referee performances are tracked obsessively across the season. Every key decision, every missed call, and every perfectly-managed match is reviewed by the Key Match Incidents Panel, which includes ex-players, coaches, and reps from PGMOL and the Premier League.

The better the track record, the better the performance-related bonus. It’s not FIFA Ultimate Team coins, but it helps reward consistency in a pressure-cooker job.

7. Is It Worth the Grief from Fans?

This is the million-pound question. You get £180K, sure, but you also get social media slander, face-to-face fury, and post-match pundit takedowns. Every decision is picked apart frame by frame, and even a correct call doesn’t win you many fans - the nature of the beast.

Amongst many attributes, you need thick skin, sharp eyes, and the ability to ignore the crowd to be a top referee.

But for those who love the game and thrive under pressure? The salary, the prestige, the chance to officiate a top-flight match, it all adds up.

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You just need thick skin, sharp eyes, and the ability to ignore 60,000 or more people yelling, “You don’t know what you’re doing! “You don’t know what you’re doing!”