There are football fans in Cameroon that would argue about the pay that a Referee earns per match. But considering the level at which The Cameroon Professional League is, it's understandable.
Suppose you are to compare the amount of money Premier League Referees earn weekly, not monthly. In that case, it will be the tip of the iceberg of what Cameroon Referees are collecting.
In Cameroon, the FIFA Technical Adviser on Refereeing stated that since there are numerous Leagues in Cameroon, the amount of money a Cameroon Referee will earn will depend on the level of the League he or she is officiating.
Two assistant referees who advise him during a match assist the referee. There is also the 4th fourth official, the referee's inspector, and the match commissioner.
In Cameroon, just like in any other country, referees are the main actors in the game. From the Divisional, Regional, and professional leagues, not leaving out youth football.
Managed by the Central Referees Commission, with its French acronym CCA, which is under the Cameroon Football Federation, the payment of referees varies as per the competition, they are involved in.
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Salary of a Football Referee in Cameroon
From the findings of Temo Club, in the Divisional League, referees and assistant referees are paid an average of 7.000 FCFA per match officiated in Cameroon.
In the regional championship, the referees, assistant referees, and match commissioners receive an average of 14,000 FCFA. Furthermore, some regions pay 10.000FCFA while others pay between 12.000 to 14.000FCFA per match.
Payments vary per the Elite One and Two championships in the Cameroon Professional Football League. The amount of referees is discrete as they are paid via Mobile Money.
Per our findings, all Elite One referees receive a match bonus of 30,000 FCFA per match. In cases where the referee is a FIFA referee, an extra 5,000 FCFA is added to their match bonus.
Nevertheless, referees in the Elite Two championship receive 20,000 FCFA as a match bonus.
We gathered that, added to the match bonus, the referees are also paid transportation allowance, which is calculated per their distance.
For example, a referee leaving Yaounde for a game in Bamenda is given 12.000FCFA as transportation allowance to and fro. For those leaving other towns, the transportation is calculated per distance.
Allowances of Referees in Cameroon
In addition, the referees are also paid lodging and feeding allowances.
- An Elite One referee receives approximately 82,000 FCFA (86,000 FCFA for a FIFA referee) for match bonuses, transportation, feeding, and lodging.
- In the Elite Two championships, there's a difference in the level of the match bonus per match.
- We learned the situation is different in the Guinness Super League, the top tier of women's football.
- The female referees have a slight difference in pay compared to their male counterparts.
- Averagely, they receive a minimum of 50,000 FCFA. The amount varies as per their distance.
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