The top commentators in Britain, such as Gary Lineker, Gabby Logan, and Mark Chapman, mix a variety of specialities, but they all turn football from a game into a spectacle that is packed with minute-by-minute coverage and in-depth commentary.
With punditry at the forefront of advances, the UK football landscape, which is controlled by BBC Sport, Sky Sports, and TNT Sports, is thriving and poised to achieve an all-time high thanks to technological and information breakthroughs.
In the football world, Amazon Prime and CBS Sports are now commonplace, but how much do the best commentators make? Here’s a detailed look at the wages of the top nine highest-paid commentators in the UK based on Sportcasting data via SPORTbible.
9Chris Sutton
Annual salary: £190,000 – £194,999
Chris Sutton, a former Blackburn Rovers and Celtic striker, is a prominent character in the BBC’s sports coverage, particularly from a football viewpoint. Although he may be the lowest-paid commentator on the list, he is by no means underpaid.
The 51-year-old reportedly earned a nice sum for the Beeb between 2023 and 2024, ranging from £190,000 to £194,999. He assists Robbie Savage in running the 606 phone-in and is a frequent feature on BBC Radio 5 Live’s programming as their permanent co-commentator. He is also a well-known figure in Scotland, where he covers Scottish Premiership matches as a commentator for Sky Sports.
8Micah Richards
Annual salary: £205,000
It might surprise you that Micah Richards makes such little money compared to his peers, even though he has one of the most recognisable faces and laughs on sports television. The 36-year-old former Manchester City defender earned £205,000 for his 2024 commentary services. For comparison, in 2023, the lovable commentator received over £200,000 from the BBC.
Richards frequently appears on Sky Sports and CBS Sports in addition to being on Match of the Day and providing live football coverage for the same network. In the latter, he plays with players like Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry. His charisma more than makes up for his perceived lack of expertise.
7Gabby Logan
Annual salary: £210,000
In 2024, Gabby Logan was expected to earn a total of £210,000, according to Sportscasting. In addition to her significant football responsibilities on Match of the Day and other live football broadcasts, Logan is an avid sports fan and fronted the 2024 Olympic coverage.
She does not appear on the BBC’s 2024 pay list, which has a minimum salary of £178,000, like the previously mentioned Richards, but the article indicated that she earned up to £200,000 in 2023. It’s also fair to claim that Logan is capable of doing it all, considering that she is the spokesperson for Amazon Prime’s coverage of the Premier League and Champions League. She will co-present MOTD with Chapman and Kelly Cates starting in the 2025–2026 season.
6Alex Scott
Annual salary: £220,000 – £224,999
After playing for teams like Arsenal and Birmingham City, Alex Scott retired from playing in 2017. Like many former pros, she ventured into the world of punditry. In 2024, the former right-back made more than £220,000 for the BBC, though the precise amount is yet unknown.
She spends a significant portion of her post-playing life covering the beautiful game. She is the main host of Football Focus, which provides in-depth analysis and previews of all the best football action. She also periodically broadcasts coverage of the Women’s Super League, FA Cup, and Match of the Day 2.
5Mark Chapman
Annual salary: £260,000 – £264,999
Although he is not a former athlete, Mark Chapman, the main presenter of Match of the Day 2, receives an enormous salary of between £260,000 and £264,999 for his work with the BBC as a radio and television presenter. He is occasionally replaced by Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, and Jason Mohammad.
The 51-year-old leads all aspects of rugby on the BBC’s channels and serves as the sport’s spokesperson, all the while making sure his yearly remuneration is well-earned. His work also extends to Sky Sports, the Beeb’s rival, where he frequently serves as the primary commentator for the League Cup. When Lineker retires in 2025, Chapman will co-present Match of the Day.
4Alan Shearer
Annual salary: £380,000 – £384,999
Even though he took a pay cut last year, Alan Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time greatest scorer, is still the BBC’s second-highest paid commentator and has been a regular for more than 20 years, with the exception of a brief period in 2009 when he managed the Magpies.
Sportscasting estimates that the former talisman will make between £380,000 and £384,999 in 2024. If he takes Lineker’s place as the main host of Match of the Day, that amount could increase. Shearer, who was born in Newcastle, is a well-known personality on the previously stated program and also participates in live FA Cup TV and radio coverage. Additionally, he works as a pundit and co-commentator for Amazon Prime.
3Jamie Carragher
Annual salary: £1,000,000
Jamie Carragher, one half of the most well-known partnership in the UK punditry industry, had a stellar career at the pinnacle of English football, winning the Champions League with Liverpool in the 2004–05 season. He has thus become one of the finest in the game thanks to his proficiency and understanding of elite level football.
As a result, he receives a respectable £1,000,000 year from his employment with CBS Sports and Sky Sports. The former Reds defender is one of the most respected commentators on the scene, and he writes a column for The Telegraph. He is known for his insightful analysis of the game’s events and his ability to make people laugh.
2Gary Neville
Annual salary: £1,100,000
Gary Neville has never more busier since hanging up his boots. The former Manchester United right-back, a serial champion who is now a businessman, fronts a variety of businesses while maintaining his vocation as a pundit. He actually makes more money than his co-conspirator, Carragher, taking home an incredible £1,100,000 annually for his escapades.
The Mancunian, one of the greatest right-backs in Premier League history, has partnered with ITV to give coverage of Euro 2024 while managing The Overlap YouTube channel, which was launched in 2022. Additionally, his resume lists his work for companies like beIN Sports. During the 2024–2025 season, he will also occasionally appear on the American CBS station.
1Gary Lineker
Annual salary: £1,350,000 – £1,354,999
After hanging up his boots, Lineker, who was once a cultured center-forward who played for teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Barcelona, decided to become a pundit. According to the 2023–2024 reporting period, he is currently the highest-paid pundit in the UK, earning between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 annually.
The former striker, who has been in charge of Match of the Day for 25 years, has witnessed a tenfold increase in popularity since moving to television. He also presents FA Cup coverage and frequently appears at the Sports Personality of the Year awards in one capacity or another. Because of his connections to Blaugrana, he occasionally appears on LaLiga TV as well. Lineker will stay with the BBC until the 2026 World Cup finals, but he will depart MOTD in 2025. Of all the British sports presenters, Lineker has the largest net worth.
