It is uncommon for people to consider the salaries of football referees, but the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has brought to the limelight how handsomely these match officials are being compensated for their work.
The excitement continues at full speed at the World Cup held in Qatar with spectators from all around the world staying glued to their screens and some filling up bars, just to have a glimpse of the feeling of being in a match.
While the first matches in the groups were important to some fans, the victories of Saudi Arabia and Japan will forever stay etched in our memories.
There is no denying that the world of football has always been a lucrative entertainment industry.
For instance, star football players such as Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among others pocket millions of dollars just by donning their clubs' crests.
However, Qatar has also been a great source of income for match officials.
According to AS, a Spanish outlet with a large readership, the referees in the World Cup are currently receiving a considerable amount of money into their pockets.
The main match officials in the Qatar World Cup were paid $70,000 as a participation fee, while the linesmen bagged $25,000 as their share.
In the group matches, the main and video assistant referees (VAR) are earning $3,000 per match whereas the linesmen made $2,500.
In the next round of matches, the amounts received by the referees will see a drastic boost.
Referees will earn $10,000 per game in subsequent rounds, while VAR referees and linesmen will take home $5,000 each.
A referee will earn $83,000 if he officiates a match in the group stages and in the next round.
In comparison, it should be taken into account that Turkish Süper Lig referees earn TL 20,000 per game ($1,075) whilst VAR referees take home TL 10,000.
