In the Liga Santander of Spain, not only clubs and footballers see an improvement in their income every season, but also referees. According to the Spanish newspaper Marca, Spanish referees will have a significant income that will position them as the highest paid in Europe.
According to Marca, starting from next season and for the next two seasons, referee incomes will increase by 53%: from 193,000 euros to 296,000 per season in La Liga, and by 67% in LaLiga 123 (Second Division), and by 61% and 82% respectively for the assistants of each professional football category. Additionally, as part of a comprehensive plan, the Liga Santander will also cover the Social Security expenses of the referees.
Moreover, the increase in income is also closely related to the introduction of the VAR, as referees will now not only operate on the field but also in the video assistant referee (VAR) room, increasing the number of matches in which they are present, one way or another.