Highest Paid Football Managers in the World (2026 Ranking)

Last updated: June 2026

Football managers are now among the most expensive figures in the modern game. The biggest clubs and national teams are willing to pay elite coaches enormous salaries because managerial decisions can influence trophies, revenue, player development and long-term sporting identity.

While player salaries remain much higher overall, the very top of the managerial market has grown dramatically. Clubs such as Atlético Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Saudi Pro League teams now pay head coaches at a level once reserved only for superstar players.

This ranking compares the highest-paid football managers in the world based on estimated annual gross salary for the 2025/26 season. Bonuses, image rights, sponsorship deals and external business income are not included unless specifically stated.

Key Figures

€30.3M

Highest Annual Salary

€11.9M

Average Top 25 Salary

Premier League Managers in Top 25

Top 25 Highest Paid Football Managers in 2026

Rank	Manager	Club / Team	League / Competition	Estimated Annual Salary
1	Diego Simeone	Atlético Madrid	La Liga	€30.3M
2	Simone Inzaghi	Al Hilal	Saudi Pro League	€29.6M
3	Pep Guardiola	Manchester City	Premier League	€24.2M
4	Mikel Arteta	Arsenal	Premier League	€18.3M
5	David Moyes	Everton	Premier League	€14.6M
6	Jorge Jesus	Al Nassr	Saudi Pro League	€12.2M
7	Luis Enrique	Paris Saint-Germain	Ligue 1	€11.2M
8	Matthias Jaissle	Al Ahli	Saudi Pro League	€11.2M
9	Antonio Conte	Napoli	Serie A	€11.2M
10	Carlo Ancelotti	Brazil	National Team	€10.0M
11	Unai Emery	Aston Villa	Premier League	€9.7M
12	Roberto De Zerbi	Marseille	Ligue 1	€9.4M
13	Massimiliano Allegri	AC Milan	Serie A	€9.3M
14	Gian Piero Gasperini	Roma	Serie A	€9.3M
15	Xabi Alonso	Real Madrid	La Liga	€9.0M
16	Arne Slot	Liverpool	Premier League	€7.7M
17	Hansi Flick	Barcelona	La Liga	€7.5M
18	Julian Nagelsmann	Germany	National Team	€7.0M
19	Vincent Kompany	Bayern Munich	Bundesliga	€7.0M
20	Eddie Howe	Newcastle United	Premier League	€7.0M
21	Manuel Pellegrini	Real Betis	La Liga	€6.0M
22	Mauricio Pochettino	United States	National Team	€6.0M
23	José Mourinho	Benfica	Primeira Liga	€5.8M
24	Thomas Tuchel	England	National Team	€5.8M
25	Stefano Pioli	Fiorentina	Serie A	€5.5M

1. Diego Simeone — €30.3 Million

Diego Simeone remains the highest-paid football manager in the world.

His salary reflects his extraordinary long-term importance to Atlético Madrid. Since taking charge in 2011, Simeone has transformed the club into one of Europe’s most competitive teams, regularly challenging Real Madrid and Barcelona domestically while also competing deep into European tournaments.

Few managers in modern football have been as closely associated with one club’s identity, results and financial growth.

2. Simone Inzaghi — €29.6 Million

Simone Inzaghi is one of the biggest managerial earners in world football after moving to the Saudi Pro League.

His salary reflects Saudi Arabia’s willingness to pay elite European coaches at a level comparable to the biggest clubs in Europe. Inzaghi’s success in Italy and Europe made him one of the most attractive tactical managers available.

His move also shows that the Saudi Pro League is not only investing in players, but also in elite coaching infrastructure.

3. Pep Guardiola — €24.2 Million

Pep Guardiola remains the highest-paid manager in the Premier League.

Manchester City’s salary commitment reflects Guardiola’s historic impact on the club. Under his leadership, City became one of the most dominant teams in European football, combining domestic success with Champions League achievement and a highly recognizable playing style.

Guardiola is not only paid as a coach, but as a central figure in Manchester City’s entire football project.

4. Mikel Arteta — €18.3 Million

Mikel Arteta has become one of the highest-paid managers in world football.

Arsenal’s investment in Arteta reflects the club’s belief in his long-term project. He rebuilt the team’s culture, improved its competitiveness and helped restore Arsenal to the highest level of English and European football.

His salary shows how Premier League clubs are increasingly willing to reward younger elite coaches who can combine tactical clarity, player development and long-term squad building.

5. David Moyes — €14.6 Million

David Moyes ranks surprisingly high among the world’s best-paid managers.

His salary reflects both his Premier League experience and the growing financial power of English clubs. Managers with a long record in the Premier League can command significant salaries, especially when clubs value stability, structure and experience.

Moyes’ position in this ranking highlights how the Premier League’s financial strength extends beyond player wages.

Saudi Arabia’s Managerial Spending

The Saudi Pro League has changed the market for elite football managers.

Saudi clubs initially attracted global attention by signing high-profile players, but they are now also investing heavily in coaching. Simone Inzaghi, Jorge Jesus and Matthias Jaissle all rank among the world’s highest-paid managers.

This shows a shift from short-term star recruitment toward broader football infrastructure. Clubs are paying not only for individual talent, but also for tactical systems, training methods and experience at the highest level.

Saudi Arabia’s spending power means the country can now compete directly with Europe for both players and managers.

Premier League Financial Power

The Premier League remains the strongest domestic league for managerial salaries.

Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, David Moyes, Unai Emery, Arne Slot and Eddie Howe all appear inside the Top 25. This reflects the enormous revenue generated by English clubs through broadcasting, commercial partnerships and global audiences.

Premier League managers operate under extreme pressure, but the financial rewards are substantial. Clubs are increasingly willing to pay elite salaries to secure coaches who can deliver Champions League qualification, tactical stability and squad development.

Even managers outside the traditional top six can earn salaries comparable to major European clubs.

Why Top Managers Are So Expensive

Elite managers are expensive because their decisions affect almost every area of a football club.

A top coach can improve player performance, increase squad value, attract new signings and influence the club’s sporting direction. In modern football, a successful manager can be worth far more than their salary if they help the club qualify for the Champions League or increase the market value of key players.

Manager salaries are influenced by:

Trophy record
Tactical reputation
Player development ability
Champions League experience
Commercial profile
Leadership and dressing-room authority
Long-term project value

The best-paid managers are usually those who combine results, reputation and strategic importance.

Club Managers vs National Team Managers

Club managers generally earn more than national team managers.

The reason is simple: club football generates more recurring revenue and requires daily involvement across training, recruitment, tactics and squad management. Elite club managers are responsible for results across an entire season and can directly affect hundreds of millions in revenue.

National team managers work in a different environment. Their salaries can still be high, especially for major football nations such as Brazil, Germany, England and the United States, but they usually remain below the highest club salaries.

Carlo Ancelotti, Julian Nagelsmann, Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel are among the highest-paid national team coaches in the world.

The Simeone Model

Diego Simeone’s salary is unique because it is based on long-term transformation.

Atlético Madrid were not historically able to compete financially with Real Madrid and Barcelona at the same level, but Simeone changed the club’s sporting expectations. Under his management, Atlético became a permanent Champions League-level institution.

His salary reflects more than matchday coaching. It reflects brand identity, competitive stability, European status and the financial value created by consistent success.

Few managers have had such a direct impact on a club’s modern financial position.

The Guardiola Effect

Pep Guardiola’s salary reflects his influence on modern football.

Manchester City’s investment in Guardiola has delivered trophies, global recognition and one of the strongest football identities in the world. His tactical ideas have influenced coaches across Europe and helped define the modern possession-based era.

For Manchester City, Guardiola is not simply a manager. He is a strategic asset whose presence supports the club’s sporting and commercial status.

That is why he remains one of the most expensive coaches in world football.

The Future of Manager Salaries

Manager salaries are likely to keep rising.

As football clubs become larger global businesses, the value of elite decision-makers increases. Clubs are now competing not only for the best players, but also for the best coaches, analysts, sporting directors and performance specialists.

Saudi Pro League investment may continue to push the top of the market higher, while Premier League broadcasting revenue gives English clubs the ability to offer major contracts across the table.

The next phase of salary growth may come from younger tactical managers who combine elite coaching with long-term squad-building ability.

Methodology

This ranking is based on estimated annual gross managerial salary for the 2025/26 season.

Figures are intended to reflect fixed salary paid directly by clubs or national associations. Bonuses, sponsorship deals, commercial agreements, image rights and external business income are not included unless specifically stated.

Manager salary data is often less transparent than player salary data. For that reason, figures should be viewed as informed estimates rather than official contractual values.

All figures are rounded to the nearest reasonable estimate and converted to euros for consistency.