Referee salary in the Bundesliga 2021/22
How much does a referee earn in the Bundesliga?
In their salary scheme, the DFB stipulates that FIFA Bundesliga referees earn 10,000 euros more than referees with at least 5 years of Bundesliga experience. A FIFA referee earns a basic salary of 80,000 euros in the Bundesliga and receives an additional bonus of 5,000 euros for each game whistled.
This is what the basic referee salary looks like in the German Bundesliga:
| season | FIFA | from 5 years BL experience |
1st National League | 2nd Bundesliga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/2022 | € 80,000 | € 70,000 | € 60,000 | € 40,000 |
| 2020/2021 | € 80,000 | € 70,000 | € 60,000 | € 40,000 |
| 2019/2020 | € 80,000 | € 70,000 | € 60,000 | € 40,000 |
| 2018/2019 | € 80,000 | € 70,000 | € 60,000 | € 40,000 |
| 2017/2018 | € 79,000 | € 69,000 | € 59,000 | € 39,000 |
| 2016/2017 | € 75,000 | € 65,000 | € 55,000 | € 35,000 |
| 2015/2016 | € 60,000 | € 50,000 | € 40,000 | € 25,000 |
| 2014/2015 | € 60,000 | € 50,000 | € 40,000 | € 25,000 |
The referees and assistant referees (linesmen) receive the following additional income per game:
| season | 1st BL referee | 1. BL Assistant | 2nd BL referee | 2. BL Assistant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/2022 | € 5,000 | € 2,500 | € 2,500 | € 1,250 |
| 2020/2021 | € 5,000 | € 2,500 | € 2,500 | € 1,250 |
| 2019/2020 | € 5,000 | € 2,500 | € 2,500 | € 1,250 |
| 2018/2019 | € 5,000 | € 2,500 | € 2,500 | € 1,250 |
| 2017/2018 | € 5,000 | € 2,500 | € 2,500 | € 1,250 |
| 2016/2017 | € 3,800 | € 2,000 | € 2,000 | € 1,000 |
| 2015/2016 | € 3,800 | € 2,000 | € 2,000 | € 1,000 |
| 2014/2015 | € 3,800 | € 2,000 | € 2,000 | € 1,000 |
The 4th official assistant referee also receives an expense allowance of 1,250 euros per game in the 1st Bundesliga and 600 euros in the 2nd Bundesliga.
The DFB last had a plan in 2017 to increase the referee’s salaries for the 1st and 2nd German Soccer Bundesliga announced. This means that the switch to a system with professional referees will continue to be dispensed with. It remains to be seen when the next raise will take place.
German lower house – 3rd division to regional league
Bundesliga referees are very few and the path is very rocky, as you have to assert yourself against around 80,000 competitors in the male-dominated sport. The remuneration in the lower house is unfortunately very poor, as can be seen from the following list (earnings per game, plus travel expenses):
- 3rd division: 750 EUR
- Regional league: EUR 300
- Oberliga: 50 EUR
- Association league / regional league: EUR 34
- District class / district league: 20 EUR
FIFA referee salary at World Cup and EM
Howard Webb
At European and World Cups, the best FIFA football referees earn a good penny on top of it every 2 years. At an EM, the game masters receive around 10,000 EUR per game + a daily flat rate of 200 EUR. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the fixed salary is even 57,000 EUR, regardless of whether the referee whistles only one game or several. In addition, there is a further EUR 2,400 per game on top. At the World Cup, assistants collect “only” EUR 20,000 fixed + EUR 1,600 per game.
- Salary World Cup 2018: 57,000 EUR fixed salary + 2,400 EUR per game
- Salary European Championship 2016: 10,000 EUR per game
- Salary World Cup 2014: 45,000 EUR fixed salary
English Premier League and Spanish Primera Division Referees
Other European top leagues in professional football also have good merit for the referees:
In the English Premier League top referee Howard Webb (on the right) and his colleagues receive a fixed salary of between 38,500 pounds (44,700 EUR) and 42,000 pounds (48,800 EUR) and a bonus of 1,150 pounds (1,340 EUR) per game.
In the Spanish Primera Division (La Liga), the referees receive a fixed salary of around EUR 10.o00 per month and each stake is remunerated with EUR 3,631.
In the Italian Series A there is a fixed salary of EUR 80,000 per year, but only for the top elite. But referees who have already directed at least 25 Serie A games already earn a fixed salary of EUR 40,000. In addition to the fixed fee, there is a further EUR 3,800 per game.
UEFA Champions League and Europa League referee salary
Anyone who thinks that UEFA pays the referees even more than they already earn in league games is of course absolutely right. UEFA divides the referees into different categories by which earnings per mission are measured. The top category (elite) receives a remuneration of 4,800 EUR from the Champions League or European League Quarter-finals even EUR 5,800. In addition, there is again the daily flat rate of 200 EUR, which is paid from the day of arrival until departure.
Image sources:
Maxisports + efecreata photography /Bigstock.com
Visit site for more useful and informative articles!
