Top 30 Highest-Paid Football Managers Worldwide in 2026
The list of the world's highest-earning football managers has been revealed, featuring notable names such as Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, and Mikel Arteta.
Managing a football team involves immense pressure, with job security often dependent on consistent results. Despite that, top-tier managers receive staggering salaries reflecting their value at the pinnacle of the sport.
Football’s financial landscape continues to expand, especially with Saudi Pro League teams offering lucrative contracts to attract elite coaches.
Here is a breakdown of the 30 highest-paid managers, spanning international teams and leading clubs in the Champions League.
Managers Ranked 30th to 11th by Annual Salary
- Okan Buruk (Galatasaray) - £4.2m
- Nuno Espirito Santo (West Ham) - £4.5m
- Frank Lampard (Coventry City) - £5m
- Michael Carrick (Manchester United) - £5m
- David Moyes (Everton) - £5m
- Thomas Tuchel (England) - £5m
- Manuel Pellegrini (Real Betis) - £5.1m
- Mauricio Pochettino (USA) - £5.1m
- Maurizio Sarri (Atalanta) - £5.3m
- Matthias Jaissle (Newcastle United) - £6m
- Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich) - £6m
- Cristian Chivu (Inter Milan) - £6.3m
- Ruben Amorim (AC Milan) - £6.3m
- Hansi Flick (Barcelona) - £6.4m
- Massimiliano Allegri (Napoli) - £7.1m
- Gian Piero Gasperini (AS Roma) - £7.9m
- Roberto De Zerbi (Tottenham) - £8m
- Unai Emery (Aston Villa) - £8m
- Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil) - £8.1m
- Luciano Spalletti (Juventus) - £9.5m
Top 10 Highest-Paid Managers in 2026
- Enzo Maresca (Manchester City) - £10mTasked with stepping into Pep Guardiola's shoes, Maresca faces the challenge of managing a squad filled with world-class talent while under pressure to secure trophies immediately.
- Andoni Iraola (Liverpool) - £10mDespite claims money wasn’t his primary motivation, Iraola commands a significant salary at Liverpool, showing the club's faith despite his limited experience managing at such a high level.
- Ange Postecoglou (Al-Nassr) - £10mAfter a rough spell at Nottingham Forest, Postecoglou secured a hefty contract with the Saudi Pro League side, where he oversees stars like Joao Felix, Sadio Mane, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain) - £10.2mKnown for his long-standing success, Luis Enrique led PSG to a treble-winning season and is reportedly poised for a new contract after back-to-back Champions League victories.
- Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid) - £10.2mReturning to Real Madrid, Mourinho received £13 million compensation paid to Benfica. His previous stint included winning La Liga with a record 100 points.
- Xabi Alonso (Chelsea) - £11.5mChelsea’s high-profile signing pays Alonso Premier League’s top managerial wages, betting on him after his Bundesliga title win with Bayer Leverkusen despite past conflicts with Real Madrid.
- Oliver Glasner (Nottingham Forest) - £13mAfter success with Crystal Palace, Glasner joined Nottingham Forest, becoming one of the highest-paid coaches, tasked with improving the club after a near-relegation season.
- Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) - £15mArteta’s new three-year deal solidifies his place among the world’s best-paid, having guided Arsenal to Premier League glory and a Champions League final appearance.
- Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid) - £20.1mOnce the highest-paid globally, Simeone remains a top earner despite a pay cut. His leadership brought multiple La Liga titles and two Champions League finals.
- Simone Inzaghi (Al-Hilal) - £22.2mAfter achieving domestic and European success with Inter Milan, Inzaghi moved to Saudi Arabia, becoming the highest-paid manager worldwide.
