Who Tops The Mic? Britain’s 10 Highest-Paid Football Pundits in 2025
The game’s gone? Not quite. In 2025, the game’s talkers are cashing in too. With BBC Sport, Sky Sports and TNT Sports duking it out—and Amazon Prime and CBS Sports muscling in—the UK punditry arms race is in full swing. Here’s the definitive, wallet-rattling rundown of Britain’s best-paid football voices right now, plus a bit of pundit’s spice on what they bring to the box.
Figures compiled from Sportscasting estimates and publicly reported BBC salary disclosures (via The Sun) and correct as of 07/10/25. If you fancy a flutter while you watch, our guide to the best betting sites is a handy companion for matchdays.
1) Gary Neville — £1,100,000
The governor of Sky’s analysis suite. Neville’s blend of tactical clarity and straight-talking northern steel keeps him box office. Beyond Monday night masterclasses, he’s spun plates with ITV at Euro 2024, beIN Sports and even NBC across the pond—plus The Overlap juggernaut. He edges his old sparring partner on pay, and you can see why: reliable, relatable, and still the standard-setter for a modern TV analyst.
2) Jamie Carragher — £1,000,000
A million quid well spent. Carragher’s energy and detail make him the perfect foil to Neville at Sky, and he’s a riot on CBS alongside Thierry Henry and Micah Richards. Sharp on structure, fearless on big calls, and never shy of a laugh—Carra’s carved out a transatlantic niche as the pundit who makes tactics feel like pub chat.
3) Alan Shearer — £440,000
The Premier League’s record marksman sits near the top of the BBC pay tree. Shearer’s delivery is measured, his finishing insights gold dust, and his experience underpins FA Cup duties and Amazon Prime appearances. He dismissed talk of replacing Lineker, but on Match of the Day his authority remains a comfort blanket for the nation.
4) Wayne Rooney — £400,000
From dugout bruises to studio bright lights, Rooney’s reboot is gathering pace. The former England captain has inked a major BBC deal to be a weekly presence on a refreshed Match of the Day and will feature at the 2026 World Cup. Early showings have been direct and revealing—proper dressing-room intel with no frills.
5) Mark Chapman — £325,000
The broadcaster’s broadcaster. Chapman steers Match of the Day 2 with calm authority, toggling effortlessly between radio and TV, football and rugby. He even fronts League Cup nights for Sky. With MOTD now a shared gig, he’s the metronome: assured, unfussy, and trusted by viewers and producers alike.
6) Gabby Logan — £210,000
Logan is the consummate live host, equally at home on the Champions League for Amazon Prime and the BBC’s blue-riband events—she fronted the 2024 Olympics coverage for good measure. Now part of the MOTD presenting rotation from 2025–26, she brings gravitas, pace, and control to nights that can unravel without a steady hand.
7) Alex Scott — £205,000
One of the game’s clearest communicators. Scott’s stepped seamlessly from England and Arsenal right-back to Football Focus anchor, with frequent stints on MOTD2, FA Cup and WSL coverage. Notable for taking principled stands on air, she marries authority with warmth—and with 140 caps, the playing pedigree to back it up.
8) Micah Richards — £205,000
Sunshine on legs and sneaky-smart with it. Richards’ laugh gets the memes, but his analysis has sharpened year on year. A regular across BBC and Sky, he’s become a CBS star alongside Henry and Carragher—big charisma, bigger moments, and a knack for explaining the defender’s eye view without drowning you in jargon.
9) Chris Sutton — £200,000
Never one to sit on the fence. Sutton’s Scottish beat with Sky, Celtic nights with TNT in years past, and a long-running 5 Live 606 gig have honed a style that’s blunt but insightful. When he says “abject,” he means it—and crucially, he tells you why. A marmite voice that producers love because it cuts through the noise.
10) Ian Wright — £150,000
National treasure status confirmed. Wrighty’s enthusiasm is infectious, his advocacy for the women’s game sincere and sustained, and his reads on strikers’ movement still elite. He took a pay trim in 2020, but you’d struggle to find a pundit more beloved—or more capable of turning analysis into pure joy.
The bigger picture
BBC, Sky and TNT still dominate the airwaves, with Amazon Prime and CBS adding gloss and global reach. The money mirrors the stakes: live rights are booming, studio talent is prime-time, and the best voices now straddle platforms and continents. Whether you prefer a data deep-dive or a withering one-liner, this list shows there’s more than one way to be worth your fee.
Methodology: salary figures are drawn from Sportscasting’s 2025 list and BBC pay disclosures reported via The Sun, cross-checked against broadcaster roles as of 7 October 2025.
