A water repellent catalyst layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, including a water repellent coating film provided on catalyst particles, which are coated with a proton-conductive electrolyte, and a manufacturing method for a water repellent catalyst layer for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including the steps of: coating catalyst particles with a proton-conductive electrolyte; providing a fluorine-based compound having at least one polar group and having a molecular weight of 10,000 or less on the catalyst particles to form a fluorine compound coating film; and imparting hydrophobic property by stabilizing the fluorine compound coating film. The hydrophobic property is imparted even to the inside of fine pores of the catalyst layer to improve water evacuation performance, so that an effective surface area and a catalyst utilization ratio can be increased.