The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2026
Key takeaways
- Sports Money Daily Cover The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2026illustration by Alice Lagarde for Forbes; photos by Ric Tapia/getty images; Stefan Matzke/sampics/getty images; Sean M.
- Meanwhile, Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo, at $300 million, bested the soccer mark he himself had established last year.
- Here are some of the other most eye-popping figures from the 2026 ranking of the world’s 50 highest-paid athletes.
Sports Money Daily Cover The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2026illustration by Alice Lagarde for Forbes; photos by Ric Tapia/getty images; Stefan Matzke/sampics/getty images; Sean M. Haffey/getty images By Brett Knight,
With a historic haul, 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo leads a group of seasoned sports superstars who collectively earned $1.4 billion over the past 12 months.The world’s 50 highest-paid athletes combined to rake in an estimated $4.1 billion over the past 12 months before taxes and agent fees, and while that total represents a slight step down from 2025’s record $4.2 billion, three superstars set new earnings highs for their respective sports this year.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton became the first Formula 1 driver to reach nine figures with an estimated $100 million in income from his on-track salary and his endorsements, appearances and other business endeavors off the grid. Meanwhile, Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo, at $300 million, bested the soccer mark he himself had established last year. And after New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto stole baseball’s earnings crown from Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani last year, Ohtani snatched it right back, ratcheting up the MLB record to $127.6 million.