The Championship has long been one of the most interesting divisions in world football, but it has recently received a lot of attention.
English football’s second division has become a great breeding ground for talent, whether native or imported, with many big names going on to play at the highest level, both domestically and internationally.
Many of the England squad who reached the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals and finished third overall under Thomas Tuchel had permanent or loan spells in the Championship, paving the way for many current young players who are blossoming to do the same in future.
Having said that, there are many current high-profile individuals and clubs residing in the Championship for 2026/27, and Football League World has looked at the nine English players ESTIMATED to receive the biggest wage sums, according to Capology.
9Marcus Edwards – Burnley
Marcus Edwards of Burnley is ninth, earning £50,000 per week as a former Tottenham Hotspur player.
The 27-year-old’s stint at Turf Moor has been intriguing, as he was part of Scott Parker’s promotion-winning team two years ago before trying to make an impression in the Premier League last season.
The Cyprus international winger was also initially left out of the Clarets’ 25-man squad for this season following Deadline Day in September, but was reinstated by previous manager Nicky Hayen after a four-game absence.
He has now started all three of Fabio Celestini’s first matches in command.
8Kalvin Phillips – Sheffield United
Kalvin Phillips’ recent career path has piqued interest, with the 2020/21 England Player of the Year currently in the midst of a second loan spell at Sheffield United from Manchester City.
The experienced midfielder’s £42 million move to the Etihad Stadium from Leeds United has simply not worked, and after an unimpressive initial term at Bramall Lane in the second half of last season due to suspension and fitness difficulties, Phillips returned to S2 this summer.
Like Edwards, the 30-year-old is claimed to receive £50,000 per week, however it is unclear how much of that sum is paid by the Blades.
7Max Kilman – West Ham United
Max Kilman, the third and last player on this list, is believed to earn a weekly wage of £50,000, this time at West Ham United.
The Irons paid £40 million to sign the defender from Wolves two summers ago, but it is fair to say that Kilman’s reputation among spectators at the London Stadium in the Premier League was not excellent.
Despite West Ham’s poor start and high-profile managerial change, the 29-year-old has improved his individual performance and has already scored two goals at the other end of the pitch.
6Adam Armstrong – Wolves
Adam Armstrong has gradually established himself as a guarantyd goalscorer in the Championship, and he recently made his 500th appearance.
Wolves signed the forward from Southampton for £7 million in January, but he was unable to help the club’s survival cause under Cesar Peixoto’s predecessor, Rob Edwards.
Armstrong has recently resumed scoring, but Peixoto will rely heavily on him until January due to Raul Jimenez’s well-documented injury, and he earns an estimated weekly wage of £65,000.
5Jarrod Bowen – West Ham United
Capology estimates that Jarrod Bowen makes £75,000 per week as West Ham United captain, but this figure should be viewed with caution given that the attacker was the only player at the London Stadium who was not subjected to a wage cut following relegation.
The 29-year-old was the target of considerable transfer interest from European football clubs this summer, but he signed a new contract on July 17th.
The aforementioned contract does, however, include a release provision that will take effect if Bowen’s current employers do not secure a first-time promotion under new boss, Scott Parker.
4Kyle Walker – Burnley
He is joined on that estimated amount by Kyle Walker, who is into his second season with Burnley after leaving Manchester City.
The 36-year-old has won six Premier League titles during his career, but moved to Turf Moor under the aforementioned Parker on a two-year contract after exiting the Etihad Stadium.
There was concern regarding the former England international’s future post-relegation, and it’s fair to say his stay in East Lancashire hasn’t been any better of late considering the club’s predicament within the Championship’s relegation zone.
3Kieran Trippier – Wolves
Kieran Trippier, a former England international full-back, is joint-second on this list, earning an estimated £100,000 a week.
Trippier committed to a pre-contract agreement with Wolves after leaving Newcastle United this summer, but this was put in peril when the club decided to replace Edwards with Peixoto in June, just after he and the aforementioned Jimenez inked such contracts.
However, the 36-year-old’s early-season impact at Molineux has not been underestimated, despite the fact that he has not appeared in every game.
2James Ward-Prowse – Southampton
James Ward-Prowse is another notable Championship player who has previously garnered international attention, and he, like Trippier, is rumoured to earn £100,000 per week after joining Southampton from West Ham United this summer.
The Hammers spent Saints £30 million for his services only three years ago, but after loan periods with Nottingham Forest and Burnley, the technically gifted midfielder fell out of favour under Nuno, and his days in E20 appeared numbered this summer.
With Southampton looking to return to the Premier League this season despite a four-point deduction for Spygate, their returning academy graduate has already established himself as a regular at St Mary’s under Tonda Eckert.
1Aaron Ramsdale – Southampton
Aaron Ramsdale, despite being the Championship’s highest-earning Englishman at £120,000 a week, is not favoured by Southampton’s head coach.
The 28-year-old signed for £25 million under Russell Martin in 2025, but after playing a key role in the Saints’ relegation season, he was loaned out to Newcastle United last season, with the Magpies paying a reputed £4 million loan fee.
However, Ramsdale’s old loan employers chose not to execute the option-to-buy clause in the agreement, and he is yet to play for his current club this season, with Eckert instead re-signing Daniel Peretz from Bayern Munich on a permanent basis.
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