BEING a referee is a tough job, especially when one single decision can affect the result of a game.
But how much are they paid, and who is the world's best paid referee?
How much are Premier League referees paid?
Despite what they go through on and off the pitch, ref's pay packets are considerably lower than the Premier League's top stars.
Premier League refs will take home up to around £70-£200k per year, according to Sporting Free.
Referees earn a match fee in addition to their basic salary which is thought to be £1,500 for official referees and £850 for assistant referees and video assistant refs.
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Mike Dean, who retired from on-field officiating after the 2021/22 season, was thought to be the highest-paid referee in the league.
A study by Sportekz found that Dean had an annual salary of £200,000.
Who are the Premier League referees?
Responsibilities of a referee include enforcing the laws of the game, controlling the match as part of a team with other match officials, and providing the relevant authorities with match reports.
Decisions are based on the opinion of the official and they have the discretion to take action within the framework of the Law of the Game.
The 2023/24 season will begin on August 12, 2023, and by the competition's end, 380 matches will have taken place.
Eighteen referees will be overseeing matches during the 2023/24 season.
They are:
- Simon Hooper
- Robert Jones
- Michael Oliver
- Anthony Taylor
- Paul Tierney
- Stuart Attwell
- Peter Bankes
- John Brooks
- David Coote
- Darren England
- Jarred Gillett
- Tony Harrington
- Andy Madley
- Craig Pawson
- Graham Scott
- Tim Robinson
- Darren Bond
- Akil Howson
Who are the most famous former Premier League referees?
The league has had some iconic refs over the years, trusted with the league's highest pressure clashes.
Here are just some of them:
Howard Webb
Howard Webb officiated the top flight from 2003-14.
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The former police officer also served as a Fifa international referee from 2005-14, and oversaw a World Cup final.
He's listed among the best referees ever by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics.
Mark Clattenburg
Mark Clattenburg is another well-known name to Prem fans, having reffed 297 matches in the competition from 2004 to 2017.
He's also been in charge of a fair few high-profile matches on the international stage, including the UEFA Euro 2016 Final and the Champions League Final in the same year.
Graham Poll
Graham Poll was one of the league's most high-profile officials, and had a domestic career spanning 1,544 games.
He also refereed at two World Cups, the 2000 European championships and the 2005 UEFA Cup Final.
You can find out which referees have been appointed for the next Premier League matches here.
Who is the most paid referee in the world?
As of July 2023, Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz is the best paid football referee in the world.
The Spanish referee earned around £287,811 (€335,000).
He is refereeing for La Liga, Champions League and World Cup matches.