Belgian Coach Reveals Why PSL Is More Lucrative Than Belgium, Explains Tax and Salary Differences
- Belgian coach Luc Eymael has explained why South African football remains financially attractive to coaches looking beyond Europe
- The former PSL mentor pointed to salary negotiations and a major tax difference that affects what coaches eventually take home
- Eymael also used Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau's career to illustrate the financial pull of African football
Source: Twitter
Belgian coach Luc Eymael has revealed why the Premier Soccer League (PSL) is more lucrative for coaches than working in his home country. The former Free State Stars mentor pointed to taxes and salary negotiations as key differences between South Africa and Belgium.
Eymael has spent much of his coaching career outside Belgium, with spells at several clubs across Africa. The 66-year-old has coached Free State Stars, Bloemfontein Celtic, Polokwane City and Chippa United in South Africa.
He famously guided Free State Stars to the Nedbank Cup in 2018. Speaking to KickOff on 5 July 2026, Eymael said only a handful of Belgian clubs offer coaches attractive salaries.
Eymael explained:
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"Only four or five clubs are paying well in Belgium, Union Saint-Gilloise being one of them because they are playing in the Champions League, Conference League, Europa League."
He added that the rest of the clubs "do not offer good money".
Belgium tax and PSL salary negotiations make the difference
Eymael said the tax burden placed on coaches in Belgium has also influenced his decision to work abroad. The Belgian coach explained:
"In Belgium, a coach is taxed 53%. It's a lot. It's more than in South Africa, and in South Africa, you discuss your salaries."
He said there was also a significant difference in how salaries were negotiated in Belgium and South Africa. Eymael explained that Belgian contracts were generally discussed in net terms, while salaries in South Africa were negotiated on a gross basis.
This creates a different financial picture for coaches considering opportunities in the two countries. The Belgian coach added that salary levels back home also struggled to compete with the money offered by some clubs elsewhere in Africa.
He specifically pointed to Pyramids FC in Egypt as an example of an African club whose financial power made it difficult for most Belgian teams to compete.
Percy Tau example highlights salary difference in African football
Eymael also used Bafana Bafana star Percy Tau as an example of the financial attraction of African football. Tau previously played in Belgium for Union Saint-Gilloise, Club Brugge and Anderlecht before joining Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Eymael said:
"Very few players earn around 100 000 Euros net per month in Belgium."
That amount is approximately R1.86 million at the current exchange rate.
Eymael cited Percy Tau's move from Belgian football to Al Ahly as an example of the financial appeal of clubs elsewhere in Africa. He argued that the Bafana Bafana star earned significantly more in Egypt, partly due to different tax conditions.
For Eymael, those financial realities help explain why opportunities across Africa have continued to shape his own coaching journey. Rather than returning to work in his native Belgium, the veteran coach has spent much of his career taking up roles in African leagues where the earning conditions can be more attractive.
Source: Getty Images
Danny Jordaan addresses Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana future
Briefly News previously reported that SAFA president Danny Jordaan had addressed Hugo Broos' future after Bafana Bafana returned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jordaan said the association would first hold private talks with the Belgian coach before announcing its next move, with South African football fans divided over whether Broos should stay or retire.
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Source: Briefly News
