Grassroots referees in England are usually paid a fee for each match. For 2026/27, the published examples below range from £15 to £45 for youth matches, depending on the league and age group, with £45 and £50 referee fees in the two adult leagues featured. Travel may be included or paid separately. These are local examples, not a national pay scale.
The useful figure is the tariff for your actual appointment: the competition, age group, role and travel arrangement. Once you know that, you can work out what a Saturday, a month or a whole season might bring in.
2026/27 fees checked on 11 November 2026.
Published grassroots referee fees for the current season
Here are four examples from competitions in England. Each publishes its own arrangements, so use the table as a comparison before checking your league's current rules.
| Competition | Appointment | Referee fee for 2026/27 | Travel arrangement |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Surrey Youth Football League | U8–U9; U10–U11 | £15; £20 | Inclusive fee |
| South Surrey Youth Football League | U12–U13; U14–U15; U16; U17–U18 | £25; £30; £35; £40 | Inclusive fee |
| North East Hampshire Youth League | U8–U9; U10–U11; U12–U13 | £20; £25; £30 | Travel included |
| North East Hampshire Youth League | U14–U15; U16; U17–U18 | £35; £40; £45 | Travel included |
| Lancashire Amateur League | Referee, league and cup matches | £45 | Plus 30p per mile |
| Arthurian League | Referee | £50 | Reasonable travel expenses only where agreed beforehand |
Sources: South Surrey Youth Football League, North East Hampshire Youth League, Lancashire Amateur League and Arthurian League.
Even these two youth competitions differ: an U14 appointment pays £30 in South Surrey and £35 in North East Hampshire. Neither figure tells you what every U14 match in England pays.
Your role also matters. Lancashire lists £25 plus travel for assistants. Check the tariff for your appointed role. Lancashire Amateur League referee information.
What your Level 7 to Level 4 means for match fees
For a Level 7, 6, 5 or 4 referee, the safest starting point is the competition's tariff. A referee level describes your place in the progression pathway; the fee tables above describe particular appointments.
Moving up can change the competitions and roles you are appointed to. It does not make a generic internet table headed “Level 6 salary” the right rate for your next match. Check your appointment against the relevant league or cup instructions.
Keep referee and assistant referee appointments separate in your season record. That helps you understand your earnings and your development: the fee for an afternoon on the line can differ from the fee for refereeing, and the games serve different purposes in your progression.
If promotion is your aim, use the referee promotion checklist for Level 7 to 6 and Level 6 to 5 alongside your match record. Plan the season around the experience you need as well as the fees available.
Whether mileage is included changes the comparison
Before comparing two appointments, find out whether the advertised fee includes travel.
North East Hampshire Youth League includes travel in its published fees. Lancashire Amateur League pays 30p per mile on top, calculated from home to the ground and back. Arthurian League requires travel expenses to be agreed beforehand. Sources: NEHYL fees, Lancashire travel instructions and Arthurian travel guidance.
For example, a Lancashire appointment with a 24-mile return journey would pay:
- Match fee: £45.
- Travel: 24 × £0.30 = £7.20.
- Total: £52.20.
The distance is illustrative; the fee and mileage rate come from the league's published tariff. The £7.20 is a travel payment, so keep it separate when comparing match fees. It also does not tell you the full cost of using your car.
Record both the distance travelled and what you spent. A long journey can change how an appointment fits around work, family and another match, even when some travel is paid.
What match fees could add up to over a season
Use the number of matches you actually expect to complete, rather than assuming every weekend will go ahead.
The following are illustrative budgets, using assumed average fees and completed match totals. They are not forecasts or national averages.
| Completed appointments | Assumed average match fee | Total match fees |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | £30 | £600 |
| 35 | £40 | £1,400 |
| 50 | £45 | £2,250 |
Travel payments are excluded. These totals are before your own costs and any tax that applies.
Build your own budget around the mix of youth, adult and assistant referee appointments you expect. Leave room for postponements, injury, holidays and weekends when you are unavailable. Keep kit, registration, insurance and other refereeing costs alongside the fee total so you can see how the season is working financially.
Also count your time beyond kick-off and the final whistle: getting ready, travelling, arriving at the ground and completing reports afterwards. That gives you a more useful picture of an appointment than dividing the fee by the playing time alone.
Keep fees alongside the rest of your refereeing season
Before each match, check the competition, age group, role, fee and travel terms. Confirm who pays and the payment arrangements in the competition instructions. County Cup appointments can have their own rules, so check those separately from your regular league.
Afterwards, record the result, your role, fee, mileage and any costs while the details are fresh. At the end of the month, review completed games, money received, travel and progression together. You can then plan your availability with a clear view of how the season is going.
penalty.app brings that record into one place. You can keep your appointments and directions ready before the game, use the Apple Watch match timer and event logging during it, then keep the result, fee and mileage alongside your season history and promotion progress.
The match logging guide explains the record, and expenses tracking lets you add costs alongside it. With fees and costs recorded consistently, your season review becomes much easier.
Start your season record
Appointments, results, fees, mileage and progression, in one place.
Start your season record with penalty.appCommon questions about grassroots referee pay
- How much does a Sunday league referee get paid per game?
- Check the named league's current tariff. “Sunday league” alone does not identify a fee, a travel rate or who pays. Use the competition handbook or ask its referee secretary to clarify the arrangement before the match.
- Do assistant referees get the same fee as the referee?
- Not necessarily. The Lancashire example above has different fees for the two roles. Use the assistant referee tariff for your particular appointment, rather than assuming the referee's fee applies.
- Who pays the referee?
- It depends on the competition. South Surrey Youth Football League makes the home team responsible for paying the referee in league and cup games, with double-header costs shared. Arthurian League also specifies the home team. Check your own instructions rather than carrying the arrangement from one competition into another. Sources: South Surrey arrangements and Arthurian League guidelines.
- Do you still get paid if the match is called off?
- Check the competition rules. In Lancashire Amateur League, travelling to a game called off for pitch conditions brings half the fee plus expenses; other reasons bring the full fee plus expenses. This is a local rule. Source: Lancashire Amateur League instructions.
- Can I use this table for next season?
- Check the new season's tariff first. Save the competition's current fee instructions with your appointment details, and update your budget when the league issues new rates.