One would assume that English football, thanks to the popularity of the Premier League, would be a money-spinning machine. That would be correct in regard to how much money players in England’s top flight tend to get paid on a weekly basis. Clubs in the Championship, from West Ham United to Middlesborough and Millwall, spend far less money on player wages.
The focus, from teams in England to those in the Middle East following the boom of the beautiful game, is typically centred around the riches, and it’s not unreasonable to wonder how much players get paid to do what they love: play football. Still, they sit seventh in terms of total wages in Europe representing the quality on show in England’s second-tier.
Typically, for clubs in England’s second tier, transfer fees are significant sums of money – but the same cannot be said about the average salary of a player, especially in comparison to those plying their trade in the Premier League.
Interestingly, for the 26/27 season, the inclusion of the three relegated Premier League sides ensure record highs for wage bills, with Wolves sitting in the top 50 clubs in world football. Using data from Capology, we’ve taken a look at each club’s annual wage bill for the current season. Let’s take a closer look.
24. Lincoln – £8,411,000
Lincoln City are back in English football’s second tier for the first time in over six decades, and their wage bill shows the size of the task. At £8.4m a year, roughly £162,000 a week across the whole squad, the Imps spend around seven times less than the division’s biggest payers.
23. Portsmouth – £11,726,000
Between 2003/04 and 2009/10, Portsmouth were a fixture in the Premier League and even lifted the FA Cup. Financial troubles sent them tumbling down the pyramid and Pompey now operates on a modest £11.7m a year, the equivalent of around £225,500 a week.
22. Bolton – £12,012,000
Bolton spent over a decade among the Premier League’s regulars in the 2000s, but they come into the Championship on a budget a fraction of what they paid back then. Their £12m annual wage bill works out at roughly £231,000 a week, the third-lowest in the division.
21. Charlton – £13,223,600
Charlton consolidated their place in the Championship after winning promotion through the play-offs, but they continue to operate on one of the division’s leanest budgets. The Addicks spend £13.2m a year on wages, about £254,000 a week, despite the size and stature of the south London club.
20. Queens Park Rangers – £14,518,400
Relegated from the Premier League in 2014/15, QPR have spent more than a decade in the Championship. The west London side’s £14.5m wage bill, around £279,000 a week, leaves them firmly in the bottom half of the spending table.
19. Millwall – £15,392,000
Millwall have long punched above their weight at The Den, regularly pushing for the play-offs on a budget that rarely matches their ambitions. They spend £15.4m a year on player wages, around £296,000 a week, which puts them 19th in the division.
18. Bristol City – £15,470,000
Bristol City are among the biggest clubs never to have played in the Premier League. Their £15.4m annual wage bill, roughly £296,000 a week, sits 17th in the division as the Robins continue their search for that elusive first promotion to the top flight.
17. Blackburn Rovers – £15,470,000
Blackburn Rovers were crowned Premier League champions in 1994/95, but those days feel a long way off now. Rovers spend £15.5m a year on wages, roughly £297,500 a week, as they look to return to the top flight.
16. Preston North End – £15,964,000
As a founding member of the Football League and its first-ever champions, Preston have a proud history, but they have long been Championship stalwarts. The Lilywhites spend just under £16m a year on wages, around £307,000 a week.
15. Swansea City – £16,432,000
Swansea spent seven seasons in the Premier League between 2011 and 2018, winning the League Cup in 2013 along the way. The Swans now spend £16.4m a year on player wages, about £316,000 a week, placing them 15th in the division.
14. Cardiff City – £17,446,000
Cardiff City are back in the Championship after their spell in League One, and they have backed themselves financially. The Bluebirds’ £17.4m wage bill, around £335,500 a week, is the highest of the newly promoted sides and outstrips several established Championship clubs.
13. West Bromwich Albion – £17,524,000
West Brom have spent much of the last two decades yo-yoing between the top two divisions. The Baggies spend £17.5m a year on wages, the equivalent of around £337,000 a week, to sit 13th on the list.
12. Watford – £17,654,000
Watford have enjoyed several spells in the Premier League, but they have since settled into life in the Championship. Their wage bill of £17.7m a year, about £339,500 a week, leaves the Hornets just outside the top half of the spending table.
11. Derby County – £19,344,000
Derby’s financial woes are well documented, but the Rams are rebuilding steadily under new ownership. They spend £19.3m a year on player wages, around £372,000 a week, which puts them just outside the top ten.
10. Stoke City – £20,644,000
Stoke spent a decade in the Premier League between 2008 and 2018, but have since been stuck in the second tier. The Potters break into the top ten with a £20.6m annual wage bill, roughly £397,000 a week.
9. Wrexham – £20,937,800
Between 2022/23 and 2024/25, Wrexham became the first team in English senior football history to win three successive promotions. Backed by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, the Welsh side spend £20.9m a year on wages, about £402,650 a week. Expect it to rise as they hunt down England’s top-flight.
8. Norwich City – £22,490,000
Norwich City are no strangers to bouncing between the top two tiers, and they remain one of the Championship’s bigger spenders. The Canaries pay out £22.5m a year in wages, around £432,500 a week, as they push to return to the top flight.
7. Birmingham City – £23,764,000
Birmingham City stormed to the League One title in 2024/25 with a record 111 points and have continued to invest heavily since. Their £23.8m wage bill, about £457,000 a week, makes them the seventh-highest payers in the division.
6. Middlesbrough – £24,154,000
Middlesbrough have been perennial play-off contenders in recent years, and their wage bill reflects those ambitions. Boro spend £24.2m a year on wages, roughly £464,500 a week, just enough to edge out Birmingham for sixth place.
5. Sheffield United – £28,834,000
Sheffield United came agonisingly close to promotion in 2024/25, losing the play-off final to Sunderland. The Blades spend £28.8m a year on player wages, about £554,500 a week, the highest of any side not recently relegated from the Premier League.
4. West Ham United – £39,260,000
West Ham United’s relegation from the Premier League was one of the bigger shocks of recent years — and it left them with one of the biggest wage bills the Championship has seen. The Hammers spend £39.3m a year, around £755,000 a week, roughly £10m more than anyone outside the top three. Their biggest outlier being Jarrod Bowen, who remained with the club despite his status.
3. Southampton – £41,860,000
Southampton are hoping to steer their way back to England’s top flight after their relegation from the Premier League. Saints spend £41.9m a year on wages, around £805,000 a week, making them the third-highest payers in the division. They may have returned to the top-flight in 2026 if they hadn’t ruined their chances due to ‘spygate’.
2. Burnley – £48,542,000
Burnley’s yo-yo existence between the top two divisions continues, and they return to the Championship with a Premier League-sized wage structure. The Clarets spend £48.5m a year, around £933,500 a week, behind only one side in the division.
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers – £61,880,000
Relegation from the Premier League, and refusing to lose too many of their squad players have led to one of the highest wage bills ever seen in the Championship for Wolves. Additions ensure that they have recognisable names that include Kieran Trippier, Raúl Jiménez, Jose Sa and Andre Trindade. They will be eyeing an instant return to the top-flight.
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