Top 30 Highest-Paid Football Managers Worldwide in 2026
Football management is a tough profession, often demanding intense pressure with little gratitude. Managers face sackings when results falter, but those who reach the elite level enjoy staggering earnings. With money pouring into football, especially from Saudi Pro League clubs luring top coaches with hefty contracts, salaries have soared.
Here’s a detailed look at the 30 highest-paid football managers globally, covering roles from international teams to Champions League clubs.
Managers Ranked 30th to 11th by Annual Salary
- 30. Okan Buruk – Galatasaray: £4.2m
- 29. Nuno Espirito Santo – West Ham: £4.5m
- 28. Frank Lampard – Coventry City: £5m
- 27. Michael Carrick – Manchester United: £5m
- 26. David Moyes – Everton: £5m
- 25. Thomas Tuchel – England: £5m
- 24. Manuel Pellegrini – Real Betis: £5.1m
- 23. Mauricio Pochettino – USA: £5.1m
- 22. Maurizio Sarri – Atalanta: £5.3m
- 21. Matthias Jaissle – Newcastle United: £6m
- 20. Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich: £6m
- 19. Cristian Chivu – Inter Milan: £6.3m
- 18. Ruben Amorim – AC Milan: £6.3m
- 17. Hansi Flick – Barcelona: £6.4m
- 16. Massimiliano Allegri – Napoli: £7.1m
- 15. Gian Piero Gasperini – AS Roma: £7.9m
- 14. Roberto De Zerbi – Tottenham: £8m
- 13. Unai Emery – Aston Villa: £8m
- 12. Carlo Ancelotti – Brazil National Team: £8.1m
- 11. Luciano Spalletti – Juventus: £9.5m
Top 10 Highest-Paid Managers in 2026
- 10. Enzo Maresca – Manchester City: £10mTaking over after Pep Guardiola, Maresca faces high expectations with a world-class squad at his command. His lucrative contract reflects the pressure to win trophies immediately.
- 9. Andoni Iraola – Liverpool: £10mThe former Bournemouth boss secured a massive deal, nearly £4 million more than his predecessor despite limited experience managing a club of Liverpool's stature. The Reds’ owners show confidence with this investment.
- 8. Ange Postecoglou – Al-Nassr: £10mAfter a tough period at Nottingham Forest, Postecoglou landed a rich contract in Saudi Arabia, now coaching stars like Joao Felix, Sadio Mane, and Cristiano Ronaldo in what could be Ronaldo’s final season.
- 7. Luis Enrique – Paris Saint-Germain: £10.2mRenowned for success at Barcelona, Enrique brought Ligue 1 glory to PSG and led them to a treble-winning season with a historic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan. A contract extension appears likely soon.
- 6. Jose Mourinho – Real Madrid: £10.2mReturning to Real Madrid in a major move, Mourinho replaced his former club Benfica with a compensation fee involved. His previous stint included a La Liga title with a record 100 points.
- 5. Xabi Alonso – Chelsea: £11.5mChelsea’s American ownership took a gamble on Alonso, who boasts a Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen. Despite tensions with Real Madrid in his last job, he became the Premier League's highest-paid manager.
- 4. Oliver Glasner – Nottingham Forest: £13mAfter winning major trophies with Crystal Palace, Glasner joined Forest, becoming one of the highest-paid coaches as the club looks to avoid relegation struggles.
- 3. Mikel Arteta – Arsenal: £15mArteta’s new three-year deal reflects his success in revitalizing Arsenal, leading them to both Premier League and Champions League titles recently, ending a 22-year league drought.
- 2. Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid: £20.1mOnce the highest-paid manager worldwide, Simeone remains crucial for Atletico, guiding them to multiple La Liga titles and Champions League finals. He took a pay cut to extend his contract amid some rocky seasons.
- 1. Simone Inzaghi – Al-Hilal: £22.2mFollowing domestic and European success with Inter Milan, Inzaghi moved to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, becoming the world's top-paid manager with an eye-watering salary.
