Tom Kirk has been trending on Google amongst the Everton fanbase after an eventful night on Wednesday.
The Englishman was officiating just his second Premier League game as Everton were held to a 1-1 draw against Wolves, having recently made his debut as a referee in the competition in December 2025 when Crystal Palace defeated Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor.
It was a controversial display as Kirk showed Michael Keane a questionable red card for tugging on the hair of Tolu Arokodare, before dismissing Jack Grealish with a second yellow card for sarcastically applauding a decision.
David Moyes was furious at the first dismissal, saying: “It’s not violent. It’s not forceful and not deliberate, so it shouldn’t have been a red card. If everybody grew their hair a bit longer, there’s a chance you’d get your hair pulled, it was a ridiculous decision, especially by VAR.”
Wolves also should have lost a man, as Hwang Hee-chan somehow escaped with only a yellow card for raking his studs down the back of Harrison Armstrong’s calf.
So, it was a tough night for Kirk – to say the least – but how much did he earn for his work? Let’s take a look…
Tom Kirk will receive £1,116 for overseeing Everton vs Wolves
Each Premier League referee receives a sum of £1,116 per game – according to The Athletic.
Can you name the other three? 🤔
Still cannot believe Keane was sent of for this!
Those in the VAR booth over at Stockley Park who helped Kirk send Keane off are believed to make £837 every game – a lesser amount due to the fact they are not the ones in the thick of the action.
Premier League referees receive that £1,116 payment on top of a yearly salary as well, which ranges from £73,191 to £147,258 depending on experience and their rank within the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Official Limited).
Premier League officiating salaries pale in comparison to La Liga
If you felt Kirk earned a lot for officiating the clash between Everton and Wolves, wait until you hear what referees in La Liga make.
The Athletic add that officials in the Spanish top-flight make £4,205 per game, with a sum of £2,102 going to those on VAR duty.
Go on then, what’s your score prediction for Everton vs Sunderland Toffees fans? 🏆
That is in addition to a fixed yearly salary of £124,256 – while they also receive image rights payments as well due to wearing advertisements on their kits, which are said to be worth £21,929 annually.
So, if you are considering a career in refereeing, it might be worth learning a bit of Spanish along the way.
Receive a digest of our best Everton content each week direct to your mailbox
