Italian referees receive higher annual salaries than their English and French colleagues, but are still lower than their Spanish and German counterparts.
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As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, referees in Italy receive a “fixed” amount starting from the signing of their contract with the FIGC. This means that the sum received for refereeing a high-profile match or a match between mid-level teams is identical. The final payment also takes into account the role played, in addition to a reimbursement of expenses.
Salaries and Roles in Italy
The annual earnings of a Serie A referee are around 160.000 euros, with variations linked to the number of matches directed or played as Fourth Official or VAR. The first official represents the role with the highest compensation, followed by assistants and VAR members. Each referee receives a fixed annual fee: 30.000 euros for those with less than 50 matches in Serie A, 60.000 for those with more than 50 and 90.000 for international referees.
In addition to this, there is a 'token' for each match and an expense reimbursement. For example, the first official of a Serie A match earns 4.000 euros gross per match, while the VAR receives 1.700 euros, the assistants 1.400 euros each, the A-Var 800 euros and the fourth official 500 euros. In Serie B, these amounts are practically halved, with the exception of the fourth official, who maintains the same amount as in the major championship.
Comparison with Other Championships
Internationally, the situation is different. In Spain, referees earn 4.800 euros gross per match, in addition to an annual salary of 167.000 euros. In the German Bundesliga, the 'tokens' are worth 5.800 euros, with a fixed salary of around 87.000 euros per year. The Premier League and Ligue 1 offer lower salaries than Italy: 1.065 euros per game and 119.000 euros per year respectively, and 3.123 euros per match with 82.800 euros per year.
Earnings in European Competitions
In the European arena, the figures vary depending on the type of competition. For example, for the Champions League, the first official earns 6.000 euros for the playoffs and round of 7.500, 10.000 euros for the quarterfinals and semi-finals, and 5.500 euros for the final. For the Europa League, the fees start at a minimum of 7.500 euros for the first knockout rounds, culminating in a maximum of XNUMX euros for the final of the tournament.
Article published on 19 February 2025 - 10:18
Video Chronicles
It is interesting to see how the salaries of Italian referees are higher than those of English and French but lower than those of Spanish and German. But, I wonder if this affects the quality of decisions taken during matches.