In the field of football, referees are necessary people to have. A league or competition will search the globe for the most qualified referees and hire them to work in their club to ensure the game is played equitably. A recent analysis detailed the compensation received by referees in each nation and the world’s top 10 highest-paid football referees for the 2022/23 season.
As a result, several of the most powerful regulatory bodies in the world, such as UEFA, have established a highly regarded Panel of Referees. And where the very finest referees from all over the world compete to earn a spot officiating in “The Champions League,” the most prestigious and competitive league in the world.
The larger the stage, the higher the quality of the referees and the more money they make per game. Do you know which Referee gets paid the most for spending 90 minutes on the ground? If you don’t, let’s determine which refs make the most money overall.
The Union of European Football Associations has categorized the salaries of match officials, assistant referees, and even the 4th Referee. They assign referees to different divisions as a further classification layer for their remuneration structure.
Classification Based on Divisions
| Divisions | Match Referee | Assistant Referee |
| Elite Referees | $10,000 | $3,000 |
| Elite Development | $6,500 | $2,000 |
| First | $3,000 | $750 |
| The second | $2,000 | $550 |
| Third | $1,000 | $350 |
The officials who are considered to be part of the elite category of referees are the ones who have the most experience, and they are required to have a minimum of five to six years’ worth of expertise officiating in their respective domestic leagues.
The salary of $10,000 is not guaranteed to every Referee who is part of the elite panel. Those officials of matches who only officiate in the group stages are paid $8,000, but those who only officiate in the knockout stages are paid $10,000.
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Highest Paid Football Referees in the World
Basic Pay for the Referee Position per Game, Depending on the Country The following individuals are the highest-paid referees in the history of football:
| Referee | Category | Salary per match | Country |
| Damir Skomina | Elite panel | $10,000 | Slovenia |
| Cüneyt Çakır | Elite panel | $10,000 | Turkey |
| Bjorn Kuipers | Elite panel | $10,000 | Netherlands |
| Dr. Felix Brych | Elite Panel | $10,000 | Germany |
| Clément Turpin | Elite Panel | $10,000 | France |
| Danny Makkelie | Elite Panel | $8,000 | Netherlands |
| Mateu Lahoz | Elite Panel | $8,001 | Spain |
As a result of the fact that they referee a more significant number of matches than their peers, Damir Skomina and Cüneyt AKR earn the highest salaries in the Champions League for football referees. However, it is imperative that they not be mistaken for the Referee with the most extraordinary salary in the globe.
Mark Clattenburg, a former referee for the Premier League, is rumored to have secured a contract with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation that pays him an astounding amount of money per season. If one is to trust the reports, Clattenburg is currently the Referee who earns the most money in the world.
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Antonio Mateu Lahoz, who hails from Spain, is the second-highest-paid Referee in the world. You have to be curious about how Antonio Mateu Lahoz manages to be the highest-paid Referee despite making only $8,000 per game.
It is because Spain provides their referees with the highest starting wage globally. As a result, Antonio Mateu Lahoz is the Referee who earns the most money anywhere in the world.
Do you know which domestic football leagues pay their referees the highest basic salaries? If so, please share this information with me.
Top 5 Domestic Football League Referees
Compensation equivalent to that of the country’s basic level
| La Liga | £5,800 |
| Chinese Super League | £3,500 |
| Bundesliga | £3,650 |
| Serie A | £3,000 |
| Premier League | £1,500 |
As can be seen, the baseline match salary of football referees in La Liga is significantly more than the salary in any other league. It is because La Liga referees work more games per week. Therefore, any referee on the UEFA elite panel is the highest-paid football referee in the world.
