In conclusion, Premier League referees who make mistakes are subjected to harsh criticism and abuse from supporters and commentators, both in person and online.
Premier League referees are compensated well, earning over £1,000 per match in addition to a wage that ranges from £70,000 to £200,000 annually, despite the difficulties and criticism they endure.
In order to become a Premier League referee, one must finish The FA Referees Course and go through several tiers, with promotions determined by merit and performance.
Refereeing in the Premier League is a difficult job. There aren’t many occupations where tens of thousands of people are likely to abuse you. And that’s only when you’re attempting to conduct your work in your “office.”
If you don’t achieve an unachievable level of perfection, you’ll probably make headlines the next day. Not to mention the barrage of criticism you will receive on social media in the days ahead as both fans and commentators point out your mistakes.
So why do some people choose to become referees at the top level, with all the abuse and pressure that comes with it? What are the advantages? The fact that they receive a respectably high salary in exchange is a plus. Although the middle-class players are not financially ignored, the players who do their hardest to mislead the referees make far more money.
Premier League Referee Salary
Mike Dean was paid £200,000 annually while an active referee
Prior to England becoming the first professional referee regulating body in history, practically all Premier League officials were part-time employees. When the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) was established in 2001, it guaranteed each referee a base pay of £35,000 and raised the bar for officialdom. It was a profound change. Former referee Keith Hackett observed, “You had a number of guys who were always eating fast food suddenly eating at Michelin-starred restaurants.” Over the next 20 years, the financial gain has more than doubled.
In a meeting with the 72 EFL clubs, chief referee Howard Webb revealed the salary of Premier League referees, according to the Times. He disclosed that, including incentives and match costs, the average pay for a referee in the highest division of England is between £170,000 and £180,000.
The base wage for top-flight referees ranges from £72,000 to £148,000 and is dependent on seniority and experience. In addition, officials receive match fees and performance bonuses. According to The Athletic, they receive about £1,116 for each game.
All of this indicates that the most senior referees, including Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor, will get over £250,000 annually, while the most junior ones in Select Group 1 will make roughly £125,000. That’s a very neat sum! In 2024, the average yearly wage in the United Kingdom was £34,963.
Before being the highest-paid official in the competition, Mike Dean began his career in a chicken abattoir. He reportedly earned £200,000 a year. Following the 2021–2022 season, Dean ended his on-field officiating career, which had started in 1985. After leaving his position with VAR, he can now be seen on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday, where he probably makes a good living from his appearances.
2024–2025 Premier League Referees
Prior to the season, a new official was elevated to Select Group 1.
The 2024–2025 season saw Sam Barrott join the ranks of registered Premier League officials, rising from the Development Group to Select Group 1, the highest ranking an official can achieve in England. When Barrott started his officiating career, he acknowledged that he “never thought was achievable” to make it to a Premier League centre circle.
Not the youngest official in the division’s history, the former Halifax Town youth team player was only 30 when he officiated his first Premier League match, making him younger than six of the starting lineup that afternoon. Michael Oliver, a young man, was given the accolade when he managed Birmingham City’s 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in August 2010 at the age of 25. Oliver is regarded by many as England’s most dependable official nearly ten and a half years later. He is also one of the few people from these parts of the world who can compete with the world’s top referees.
Premier League Referees for 2024–2025
The referee
Home
The PL Debut
Refereed Major Finals
Attwell, Stuart
The Warwickshire
August of 2008
2022 EFL Cup
Taylor, Anthony
The Cheshire
February of 2010
The 2021 UEFA Nations League, the 2023 FIFA Cup World Cup, the 2023 Europa League, the 2015 EFL Cup, the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup
Michael Oliver
The Northumberland
August of 2010
2018 FA Cup, 2021 FA Cup, and 2016 EFL Cup
Pawson Craig
Yorkshire’s South
March of 2013
FA Cup 2022, 2018 EFL Cup
Hooper, Simon
Wiltshire
August of 2015
—
Kavanagh, Chris
The Lancashire
April of 2017
EFL Cup 2024
Coote, David
The county of Nottingham
April of 2018
2023 EFL Cup
Tim Robinson
West Sussex
December of 2019
—
Jones, Robert
The Merseyside
December of 2019
—
Darren England
Doncaster
January of 2020
—
Gillett, Jarred
Australia’s Gold Coast
September of 2021
2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Australia Cup, A-League Men’s Finals Series
Harrington, Tony
Durham
December of 2021
—
Darren Bond
The Lancashire
January of 2023
—
Smith, Josh
England
May 2023
—
Barrott, Samuel
England
October 2023
—
Allison, Samuel
England
December of 2023
—
Smith, Lewis
England
February of 2024
—
Champions League Refereeing Salaries
Money rises depending on game quality
Referees who do exceptionally well may be asked to officiate in the Champions League, the greatest competition in Europe. Even though officiating several games a week may be tedious, the extra cash they make is undoubtedly worthwhile.
According to Spotekz, via Sport1, referees might oversee games ranging from “third tier” contests to “elite” ties, with their compensation increasing in proportion to the prestige of the event. A 90-minute game at the lowest level will only earn officials £750, whereas an elite match might earn them £7,500. During the 2023–24 season, Italian official Daniele Orsato officiated an unprecedented seven Champions League games before retiring after officiating Euro 2024.
Pay for Champions League Referees
Level
Referee for the Match
Assistant Referee
The Fourth Official
Tier Three
One thousand pounds (£794)
$350 (£278)
N/A
Level Two
Two thousand pounds (£1,588)
£550 (£437)
N/A
First Level
$3000 (£2,382)
$750 (£595)
N/A
Development of the Elite
£5,161 (£6,500)
Two thousand pounds (£1,588)
£635, or $800
Elite
Ten Thousand (£7,940)
$3,00 (£2,382)
One thousand pounds (£794)
Pay for Referees in the Top Five Leagues in Europe
The highest paid officials are those in La Liga.
Despite being proudly the best football league in the world, England’s Premier League does not have the highest-paid officials on the continent. All of La Liga’s referees receive a base wage of £124,256 per year, which is about £50,000 more than the minimum amount paid to any other whistleblower in the continent. Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez, a former Spanish official, told The Athletic that this was a new development.
“For the past six years, we have been the highest paid. We were sixth or seventh once. We began this battle a very long time ago. We had to work at another job back when I was a child. Professionalism and dedication have increased. Referees now live and consider officiating all day and all night.
Despite their high compensation, Spanish officials face unprecedented public scrutiny. The in-house media crew at Real Madrid has been under fire on numerous occasions for creating targeted videos that disparage referees who have rendered contentious calls against the Spanish powerhouses. Following a string of suspected payments to the former vice-president of the refereeing committee, Barcelona was charged with corruption in 2023, casting doubt on the entire Spanish officiating community.
Pay for Referees in the Top Five Leagues in Europe
League
The country
The lowest salary
Maximum Pay
La Liga
Spain
£124,256
£124,256
Serie A
Italy
£76,954
£77,345
The Premier League
England
£72,000.
£148,000.
Ligue 1
France
£66,716
£67,058
Bundesliga
Germany
£52,977
£70,067
How to Work as a Referee in the Premier League
To get to the Premier League and EFL, you must advance through nine stages.
You may be wondering how to become a Premier League referee if you’re drawn to those salaries and have a very thick skin. To become a Premier League official, you must follow these three stages, according to Sky Sports.
Step 1: To become a Level 7 referee (youth referees are 14/15 years old), interested parties must finish The FA Referees Course with their local County FA.
The second step
After that, references can apply for promotions at Levels 7, 6, 5, and 4. These include law of game tests, training, and watching a few of your games. You normally have to spend at least one season at each level through 7–4, however if you are performing well, you can talk to your County FA about whether you are suitable for a promotion from level 6 to level 4.
English Football League and English Premier League Level 1: National List
Panel Select (National League Premier) at Level 2a
Panel (National League North and South) at Level 2b
Contributory Level 3 (Contributory Leagues)
Supply (Supply Leagues) at Level Four
Senior County (County Leagues) at Level 5
County (County leagues) at Level 6
Junior (Amateur leagues) Level 7
Youth Level 8 (Junior Referee under 16)
Step 3 of Level 9: Trainee
Promotion is based on a merit table created by club and observer marks after reaching Level 4 and also after passing Levels 3, 2B, and 2A. An interview is also required for promotion from 2A to the English Football League and beyond.
