FULL LIST: World football’s 10 highest-paid goalkeepers for 2026

A world-class goalkeeper can be the difference between winning silverware and falling just short.

While football’s biggest wages are traditionally reserved for prolific forwards and creative midfielders, elite goalkeepers are increasingly commanding salaries that would make plenty of outfield players envious.

From Premier League stars to veterans in La Liga, the Bundesliga and the Saudi Pro League, several of the game’s most recognisable shot-stoppers are earning six-figure sums every week.

Using figures from Capology, here are the 10 highest-paid goalkeepers in world football, according to Planet Football on Friday

1. Jan Oblak – £342,127 per week

Jan Oblak currently sits at the top of the goalkeeper wage table, earning a staggering £342,127 per week at Atletico Madrid.

Interestingly, the Slovenian did not need a pay rise to take first place. Instead, he inherited the position after the previous highest-paid goalkeeper took a wage cut.

At 33, Oblak is now well into the latter stages of his career, but his reputation remains enormous. Since arriving at Atletico, he has established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation and a modern La Liga great.

He still has two years remaining on his contract at the Metropolitano.

2. Marc-Andre ter Stegen – £271,665 per week

Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s reported salary stands at £271,665 per week, although Barcelona are currently carrying most of the financial burden.

The German goalkeeper is spending the season on loan at Ajax, with his temporary club reportedly paying only around 10 per cent of his total wages. Barcelona are subsidising the remainder.

It is a remarkable situation for a player who was once firmly established as one of the world’s leading goalkeepers.

Ter Stegen remains under contract with Barcelona until 2028, having signed his current terms three years ago.

3. Gianluigi Donnarumma – £265,000 per week

Gianluigi Donnarumma is the highest-paid goalkeeper in the Premier League, taking home around £265,000 every week at Manchester City.

City moved to sign the Italy international from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, and the transfer proved to be quite a coup.

Donnarumma made 43 appearances during his first season in Manchester and is now earning more than he previously did during his spells with both AC Milan and PSG.

At just 27, he also has plenty of years ahead of him at the highest level.

4. Manuel Neuer – £247,849 per week

Manuel Neuer has been at the top of the goalkeeper salary rankings for much of his career, but the Bayern Munich legend has slipped down the list after agreeing to a wage reduction on his latest contract.

Even so, £247,849 per week is hardly a modest figure.

Now 40, Neuer continues to extend his Bayern career on short-term deals. His revolutionary style helped redefine the modern goalkeeper, and although he is no longer at his peak, he remains trusted by one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

5. Thibaut Courtois – £246,371 per week

Thibaut Courtois is just behind Neuer, earning £246,371 per week at Real Madrid.

The Belgian has arguably inherited Neuer’s crown as the world’s outstanding goalkeeper, particularly after producing a series of spectacular performances on the biggest stage.

At 34, Courtois remains a key figure at the Bernabeu, although his current contract is entering its final 12 months.

Few would argue that his performances have failed to justify his enormous salary.

6. Edouard Mendy – £197,097 per week

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is currently the highest-paid goalkeeper in the Saudi Pro League, earning a reported £197,097 per week with Al-Ahli.

Mendy moved to Saudi Arabia in 2023 in a deal worth around £16 million and has enjoyed considerable success since leaving European football.

The Senegal international has helped Al-Ahli win back-to-back Asian Champions League titles, while a contract extension signed in December 2025 keeps him at the club until 2028.

7. Emiliano Martinez – £175,000 per week

Emiliano Martinez has taken a significant step up the salary ladder following his move to Chelsea.

Capology does not have a confirmed figure for his Chelsea wages, but SalaryLeaks reports that the Argentine earns around £175,000 per week.

That represents an increase on the £150,000-per-week salary he received at Aston Villa.

Martinez has quickly established himself as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper and remains one of the most prominent shot-stoppers in world football following his exploits with Argentina.

8. Bono – £167,532 per week

Yassine Bounou, better known as Bono, is another goalkeeper benefiting handsomely from the riches of Saudi football.

The Morocco international earns around £167,532 per week at Al-Hilal.

Bono left Sevilla for Saudi Arabia in 2023 after more than a decade playing in Spain and has remained an important figure for his new club.

He renewed his contract in October 2025, keeping him tied to Al-Hilal until 2028.

9. Jordan Pickford – £150,000 per week

Jordan Pickford has been England’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper for years, and his salary reflects his importance to both club and country.

The Everton goalkeeper earns around £150,000 per week after receiving a pay rise when he extended his contract in October 2025.

Pickford has been a Premier League regular for a decade and, despite occasionally dividing opinion, remains one of the most experienced and highly paid goalkeepers in English football.

10. Alisson Becker – £150,000 per week

Liverpool’s Alisson Becker completes the top 10 on £150,000 per week.

The Brazilian has been one of the Premier League’s standout goalkeepers throughout his eight-year spell at Anfield, playing a crucial role in Liverpool’s domestic and European successes.

However, his future is becoming an increasingly interesting question.

Alisson is entering the final year of his contract, while Liverpool already signed Giorgi Mamardashvili last year as a potential long-term successor.

For now, though, the Brazilian remains one of the world’s best — and one of its best-paid goalkeepers.

The goalkeeper salary hierarchy

The figures underline just how much the world’s biggest clubs are willing to invest in proven goalkeepers.