How much do referees make per game at a Women’s World Cup in 2023?
There is a slight disparity in the salaries between female and male soccer referees, mainly when they are officiating games in women’s tournaments.
The upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will feature top referees selected by FIFA based on their experience and distinction. Referees at major tournaments like the World Cup and continental championships often carry a significant burden. A referee should remain neutral when making decisions that could affect the game’s outcome.
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The payment structure for referees at the Women’s World Cup varies depending on factors such as tournament edition, host country, and FIFA agreements. FIFA compensates match officials with a base fee per match, which differs for referees, assistant referees, and fourth officials. Referees may also receive additional allowances for travel, accommodation, and meals.
The 33 referees and 55 assistants are all women though only six women are among the 19 video match officials chosen for the 64-game 2023 WWC tournament; the video review team will also consist of 13 men. Just as a reminder, the VAR review system made its Women’s World Cup debut at the 2019 tournament in France.
The six female match officials, including history maker Stephanie Frappart, who worked at the men’s World Cup in Qatar, were also selected by FIFA for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
The World Cup’s managerial body has set a $70,000 basic pay for match referees and $25,000 for assistant referees for the first time in the competition’s history.
Match fees
The match referee is responsible for the game’s flow and is paid $3,000 for the group stage and $10,000 for the playoffs or final. A match official oversees an average of two games, and FIFA adds the match fees to their contracted pay. A referee who officiates all competitions, including the final, can earn up to $300,000.
The two assistant referees mainly review offsides and fouls in their proximity and are paid $2,500 for the group stage and $5,000 for playoffs/final.
The fourth official supervises the substitution procedure, checks equipment, and supervises ball replacement during the match, with the same fee as the assistant referee.
The video assistant referees earn $3,000 for a match, which increases to $5,000 in the later stage of the tournament, with an ideal total payout of $175,000.