Mbabane – Eswatini football referees are the lowest paid match officials in the Southern African Development Community, according to a report by The Times, earning far less than their counterparts across the region despite operating in a top tier league sponsored by MTN Eswatini.
The report states that South African referees earn about E6 000 per match, while officials in Zimbabwe and Zambia receive around E2 600. Mozambique pays roughly E2 344 per match, Botswana about E1 500 and Lesotho E1 000. Eswatini sits at the bottom of the scale with the lowest match fees in the region.
This remains the case even though Premier League clubs in Eswatini collectively contribute close to E40 000 annually to cover officiating costs. Once the funds are spread across a full season and shared among technical teams, individual earnings remain limited.
Unlike several SADC leagues, referee payments in Eswatini are largely funded by clubs rather than through a centralised league budget. Referees are also not employed on full time contracts, making officiating largely a part time role. In contrast, officials in other SADC countries benefit from central league funding, retainers, fitness allowances and performance related incentives.
According to The Times report, the MTN Eswatini Premier League ranks fifth in SADC in terms of championship prize money. The league winner earns about E1.1 million. South Africa’s Betway Premiership leads with approximately E20 million, followed by Botswana’s FNB Premiership at E1.8 million, Zimbabwe at E1.7 million and Namibia at E1.15 million.
The report further compares the situation with Europe, where refereeing is treated as a full time profession. In England’s Premier League, referees reportedly earn between E32 000 and E48 000 per match, with top officials making more than E2.2 million annually through retainers and performance bonuses. In Spain’s La Liga, referees are said to earn around E128 000 per match, supported by structured contracts, continuous training and performance monitoring.
Several factors are cited for Eswatini referees receiving the lowest pay in SADC. These include limited sponsorship revenue, the club funded payment model, the semi professional status of referees, smaller broadcast and commercial deals and the absence of a dedicated refereeing development fund. While clubs compete for meaningful prize money, match officials continue to operate under financial strain, affecting morale, retention and long term development.
Eswatini Referees Association chairman Mbongiseni Fakudze declined to comment, saying discussions on the matter are ongoing. Eswatini Football Association marketing and communications manager Muzi Radebe said the Premier League of Eswatini was better positioned to respond as the league managers. Efforts to obtain comment from referees manager Sifiso Zondi and Premier League of Eswatini chief executive officer Pat Vilakati were unsuccessful according to The Times . The report also notes that the last adjustment to referees’ allowances was made before the start of the 2023 24 season.
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