How the national full-time average is set
The national full-time adult ordinary-time average is $2,083.70 per week, or about $108,352 per year, according to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026. This figure is the benchmark used on this site to place a salary on the line. It represents the average weekly ordinary-time earnings of full-time adults across all industries and states, before tax.
The ABS publishes this estimate twice a year, for May and November. The May 2026 release showed an annual increase of 4.5% from the previous year. The average is a mean, so it can be pulled up by very high earners. That is why the full-time median – the middle point where half earn more and half earn less – is lower, at about $90,532 per year (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). The all-employees median, which includes part-time workers, is about $74,100 per year.
Where Messi's salary would sit
Lionel Messi's salary is not a figure that appears in any Australian official statistic. The ABS does not collect individual pay data for overseas footballers. Fair Work does not set a rate for professional athletes under the national minimum wage or awards. The ATO only sees declared income on tax returns, but that information is not published for individuals.
If we were to place a hypothetical Messi salary on the line, it would almost certainly sit far above the national full-time average. Global media reports suggest his total earnings from club, endorsements, and other sources run into tens of millions of dollars per year. Even a conservative estimate of, say, $20 million per year would be more than 180 times the average full-time worker's pay.
What would move this pay above or below the average?
For a salary to be below the national full-time average, it would need to be less than $108,352 per year. That is roughly the earnings of a full-time professional in many skilled occupations. For example, the median weekly earnings for professionals are about $64.50 per hour, which on a 38-hour week comes to about $127,500 per year – above the average. But many administrative and sales roles fall below the average.
A salary above the average is common for managers, mining workers, and certain professionals. The highest state average is the Australian Capital Territory at about $119,090 per year, followed by Western Australia at $115,825. Messi's salary, even at a fraction of reported figures, would exceed these by a wide margin.
State and territory comparisons
The states and territories page shows how averages vary across Australia. New South Wales has a full-time average of about $109,658, Victoria $106,137, Queensland $106,064, South Australia $102,450, Western Australia $115,825, Tasmania $96,008, Northern Territory $103,173, and the Australian Capital Territory $119,090. Messi's salary would be above all of them.
Tax implications
If Messi were an Australian resident for tax purposes, his salary would be subject to the 2026–27 tax rates: nil up to $18,200, 15% from $18,201 to $45,000, 30% from $45,001 to $135,000, 37% from $135,001 to $190,000, and 45% above $190,000. Plus the Medicare levy of 2% (before any reductions). At a multi-million-dollar salary, the marginal tax rate would be 47% (45% plus 2% Medicare) on the portion above $190,000. But even after tax, his take-home pay would still be many times the average.
How the minimum wage compares
The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 per year on a 38-hour week (Fair Work). Award minimums rose by 4.75% from the previous year. Messi's salary, even if it were only a few hundred thousand dollars, would be well above the minimum. The minimum wage is a floor, not a benchmark for high earners.
Medians and averages for context
For a more realistic comparison, the job medians page shows typical earnings for various occupations. The highest median hourly earnings are for managers ($69.20) and professionals ($64.50). Even the highest-paid occupation's median is far below Messi's reported earnings. The industry medians page shows that mining has the highest average weekly total cash earnings at $74.10 per hour, but that still amounts to about $146,000 per year on a 38-hour week – a fraction of Messi's income.
Conclusion
While we cannot give a precise figure for Lionel Messi's salary from Australian official sources, it is clear that any realistic estimate would place it far above the national full-time average of $108,352 per year. The site's line is drawn at that average, and Messi's pay would be well above it. For more on how these figures are set, see How the figures are set and About this site.