How much EFL referees are paid compared to Premier League refs | OneFootball

Referees come in for a lot of criticism, but they are at least well-rewarded for what they have to put up with from both players and managers.

Refereeing is a more stressful job than ever, with the scrutiny to which they are subject growing every season. But they are, at least, financially well-rewarded for their effort.

In an age during which referees are under greater pressure than ever, the job of the person in the middle has never been more complex. With multiple camera angles and slow-motion replays allowing a better view of every incident in any given match than ever before, referees are expected to get all decisions right, first time and every time. In 2024, they were estimated to do so 85.6% of the time over key decisions.

And this scrutiny doesn't just apply in the Premier League. With more than a thousand EFL matches now being broadcast live on the television every season, decisions can be just as closely scrutinised in the divisions below, and referees at this level don't earn as much as those at the top level.

Top-tier referees are divided into sub-groups and paid according to experience

Referees in the Premier League, EFL and Women's Super League are overseen by PGMOL, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.

According to the Premier League, PGMOL have 84 in the Select Group who are contracted match officials. These are broken down between Select Group 1 Referees, Select Group 1 Assistant Referees, Select Group 2 Referees and women's Select Group officials.

There are 20 referees in Select Group 1, covering Premier League matches. They are paid on a sliding scale between £73,191, £105,257 and £147,258 depending on their level of experience, with estimated earnings of £180,000 and match fees being payable on top of that, which as of April 2024 worked out at £1,116 per game, or £837 for working as the video assistant referee. SG1 assistant referees earn around £110,000 a year.

Some of this group may also supplement their incomes through refereeing international or European matches. PGMOL has 36 FIFA-listed referees and assistant referees.

How much EFL referees earn and how they are assessed

The next tier down is the Select Group 2, and there are currently 21 referees listed by the EFL at this level.

Speaking earlier this year, former referee and head of PGMOL Howard Webb confirmed that Championship referees earn around £120,000 a year in total, and that the 29 members of the ‘development group’, which officiate in Leagues One and Two, are estimated to earn between £38,500 and £42,000 per year.

Officials at this level who officiate on a part-time basis get paid a flat fee per game plus travel expenses.

Referees are subject to constant assessment by PGMOL. Since the start of the 2022/23 season, Select Group performance has been assessed by the Key Match Incidents Panel. This group is made up of five members and is an independent panel primarily made up of former players and coaches, alongside one representative from the Premier League and another from PGMOL.

Video Assistant Refereeing has muddied the waters further, as well as adding another layer of scrutiny for referees, but the EFL has thus far resisted the temptation to introduce it in the Championship and below. But to this day, refereeing remains a part-time occupation below Championship level, although elite-level referees in England remain among the highest-paid in Europe.