A FIFA referee can make about $100,000 for a World Cup tournament , with top officials potentially reaching around $300,000 if they go deep into the event and work the final. For broader “FIFA referee” salary estimates outside the World Cup, one public listing puts the average at about $43,539 a year in the U.S., though that’s a general market estimate rather than FIFA’s official pay scale.

What the pay looks like

  • World Cup base fee: about $100,000 per referee.
  • Match fees: roughly $3,000 to $5,000 for group-stage games, rising to about $10,000 in knockout rounds.
  • Top-end total: around $300,000 for referees assigned to many matches, including the final.

Quick context

That tournament pay is very different from ordinary league officiating, because World Cup referees are paid for elite selection, travel, preparation, and match bonuses. Assistant referees typically earn less, with reported fixed tournament fees around $25,000 plus match-related pay.

Bottom line

So the short answer is: a FIFA referee at the World Cup can make six figures, and the best-paid ones can get into the low six figures to near $300,000.