Spanish referees paid eyewatering amounts compared to other leagues

Since referees in Spain were considered professionals in September 2020, they have risen as the best-paid referees on the continent, both in terms of rank and salary. 

Spanish referees receive more money both on a per-base and per-match basis, far outstripping referees in the other major European leagues. 

La Liga referees earn 12,500 euros a month in basic salary, to which must be added 4,200 euros for each match they whistle on the pitch and 2,100 euros for those who referee from the VAR room. 

A giant difference if we compare it with other big leagues such as the Premier League, where they receive a basic salary of 3,700 euros and 2,200 euros per match whistled.

All of them also receive 7,000 euros per match whistled in the Champions League, which is added to their salaries from their respective leagues. 

If we look at the annual total they receive, counting an average of 20 matches whistled per season, Spanish referees end up receiving an average salary of 250,000 euros per year, compared to the average of 110,000 euros estimated for a referee in the Premier League or the 125,000 euros they receive on average in Italy and France. 

In Serie A, they are paid 3,800 euros per match, which is added to the basic salary, which varies between 3,900 and 6,500 euros per month, depending on the individual. The assistants are paid €1,000 per match, while the fourth official gets €500. 1,500 for the VAR.

To put it in context, a referee in the NFL has an average salary of 220,000 euros, to which can be added the 50,000 euros charged for officiating the Super Bowl.

Mateu Lahoz was the highest paid referee across La Liga, Champions League, Cup and World Cup matches. 

The Spanish referee pocketed a figure of around 335,000 euros at the end of the year, far exceeding the rest of the referees.