Referees at the 2026 World Cup are set to earn record sums. According to The Times, the main referees at the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico could each receive $100,000, or around €86,700, for just a few weeks of work.
These are the highest fees in World Cup history. In addition to the base amount, referees assigned to matches in the later stages of the tournament can also receive additional bonuses, meaning the final earnings of the most successful among them could be even higher.
By comparison, Yahoo Sports claims that the average referee in the Premier League earns around £170,000 to £180,000 a year, or roughly €201,900 to €213,800. But the World Cup earnings are particularly interesting because they come in such a short period of time.
The tournament lasts a little over five weeks, from June 11 to July 19, so the top referees can earn an amount in just over a month that most referees in national leagues don’t earn as quickly.
The 2026 World Cup will be officiated by some of the world’s best referees, including English names Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor. Both have been among the Premier League’s most prominent referees for years and regularly referee Europe’s biggest matches. The Times also states that both earned around £250,000 (€296,900) from domestic and European matches in the 2025/26 season.
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest ever. For the first time, the tournament will feature 48 teams, with 104 matches played across three host countries. Due to the expanded format, FIFA has also had to increase the number of referees, and the tournament will have the largest team of referees ever.
He was about to become the first Somali referee in World Cup history, but was denied entry to the US
FIFA announced earlier that it had selected 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 VAR officials for the tournament. They come from all six confederations and 50 national associations. The final will be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
It is also interesting that referees at this World Cup will be working under additional pressure because FIFA is introducing broader rules on the use of VAR. According to The Times, VAR will be able to intervene in several other situations, including goals scored after a foul or after a corner kick was incorrectly given.
