Key takeaways
- Cristiano Ronaldo is No. 1 for a fourth straight year, with an estimated ~$300 million in total earnings — the widest lead the list has ever recorded.
- Boxing's Canelo Alvarez ranks No. 2 at roughly $170 million, the only combat-sports athlete in the top 10.
- Basketball places three names in the top 10 — LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant — tying soccer for the most representation.
- Shohei Ohtani earns almost everything off the field: about $125 million of his estimated ~$127.6 million total, an unusual split driven by his heavily deferred Dodgers salary.
- The top 10 earned a combined ~$1.4 billion (pre-tax), and no women appear on the overall 2026 list.
Every May, Forbes publishes the number sports fans and marketers argue about all year: who actually earns the most. The 2026 ranking of the world's highest-paid athletes measures total annual earnings — playing salary and prize money on one side, endorsements and business income on the other — over a trailing 12-month window. The headline is familiar (Cristiano Ronaldo again), but the shape of the list has shifted, with boxing, baseball and Formula 1 pushing into a top 10 long dominated by soccer and basketball. Below is the full ranking, the key figure behind each name, and why they land where they do. Every dollar amount here is an approximate 2026 estimate, not an audited disclosure. Last updated: July 2026.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
Estimated total: ~$300 million (roughly $235M on-field, $65M off-field). The Al-Nassr and Portugal forward tops the list for a fourth consecutive year, and 2026 marks a new personal peak. The vast majority now comes from his Saudi Pro League contract — among the richest playing deals in sports history — with the remainder from long-running endorsement and licensing relationships. His roughly $130 million gap over No. 2 is the largest the ranking has recorded.
2. Canelo Alvarez
Estimated total: ~$170 million (roughly $160M in the ring, $10M off). The Mexican boxer is the only combat-sports athlete in the top 10, and nearly all of his income comes from a small number of high-purse fights. Boxing earnings swing hard year to year depending on the bout calendar, so his exact rank tends to move more than most — a strong fight year can lift him, a quiet one can drop him well down the list.
3. Lionel Messi
Estimated total: ~$140 million (roughly $70M on-field, $70M off). The Inter Miami and Argentina star is the rare top earner with a near-even split between playing income and off-field deals, reflecting one of the deepest personal endorsement portfolios in sports. His Major League Soccer move reshaped his contract earnings, but the global commercial pull remains enormous.
4. LeBron James
Estimated total: ~$137.8 million (roughly $52.8M salary, $85M off-court). More than two decades into his NBA career, James still leads all basketball players in total earnings, and most now comes from off-court sources — media, endorsements and equity stakes across a broad business portfolio. He is a case study in how a marquee athlete's income mix tilts toward business as a playing career matures.
5. Shohei Ohtani
Estimated total: ~$127.6 million (roughly $2.6M salary this cycle, $125M off-field). Baseball's two-way star has the most lopsided split on the list. His landmark Los Angeles Dodgers contract heavily defers salary to later years, so his current on-field figure is unusually small — while his endorsement income, powered by a huge following in Japan and the United States, is among the largest of any athlete anywhere.
6. Stephen Curry
Estimated total: ~$124.7 million (roughly $59.7M salary, $65M off-court). The Golden State Warriors guard combines one of the NBA's top salaries with a signature footwear-and-apparel business and a growing media and production slate. His off-court income has become a durable pillar rather than a bonus, keeping him firmly in the top tier.
7. Jon Rahm
Estimated total: ~$107 million (roughly $97M on-course, $10M off). Golf's presence in the top 10 is driven overwhelmingly by playing income tied to the sport's high-stakes tour economics and appearance guarantees. Rahm's earnings are far more contract- and prize-driven than endorsement-driven — the mirror image of Ohtani's split.
8. Karim Benzema
Estimated total: ~$104 million (roughly $100M on-field, $4M off). The French forward is another beneficiary of the Saudi Pro League's spending, with almost his entire total coming from his club salary. His minimal off-field share underlines how much the recent reshuffling of soccer's top earners is a story about where the biggest playing contracts now sit.
9. Kevin Durant
Estimated total: ~$103.8 million (roughly $54.8M salary, $49M off-court). The third NBA player in the top 10 pairs a maximum-level salary with a diversified off-court portfolio spanning endorsements and venture investments. Basketball's three entries — at Nos. 4, 6 and 9 — tie soccer for the most representation in the top 10.
10. Lewis Hamilton
Estimated total: ~$100 million (roughly $70M on-track, $30M off). The seven-time Formula 1 world champion is the grid's clear earnings leader, blending a top driver salary with a fashion, entertainment and endorsement footprint that reaches well beyond motorsport. He rounds out the top 10 right at the $100 million mark.
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Est. total earnings (2026) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | ~$300M | 4th year at No. 1; ~$235M from salary |
| 2 | Canelo Alvarez | Boxing | ~$170M | Only combat athlete in the top 10 |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | ~$140M | Near 50/50 on-field vs off-field split |
| 4 | LeBron James | Basketball | ~$137.8M | Top basketball earner; mostly off-court |
| 5 | Shohei Ohtani | Baseball | ~$127.6M | ~$125M off-field; salary largely deferred |
| 6 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | ~$124.7M | Salary plus signature shoe business |
| 7 | Jon Rahm | Golf | ~$107M | Almost all on-course/prize income |
| 8 | Karim Benzema | Soccer | ~$104M | ~$100M from club salary |
| 9 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ~$103.8M | Third NBA player in the top 10 |
| 10 | Lewis Hamilton | Auto Racing | ~$100M | Formula 1's top earner |
A few patterns stand out. Soccer and basketball together account for six of the ten spots, but the top of the list is now defined as much by where the money comes from as by the sport itself. Ronaldo and Benzema earn overwhelmingly from Saudi playing contracts; Ohtani and LeBron earn overwhelmingly off the field; Messi sits almost exactly in the middle. The combined top-10 haul of roughly $1.4 billion is broadly in line with the prior year and among the largest totals Forbes has tracked since it began ranking athlete earnings in 1990. Treat each figure as an approximate estimate. For more rankings like this, browse our top 10 lists or head back to Countly for the full data library.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2026?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in 2026, according to Forbes, with an estimated ~$300 million in total earnings over the trailing 12 months — roughly $235 million from his Al-Nassr contract and about $65 million off the field. It is his fourth straight year at No. 1. All figures are approximate estimates; verify against the latest Forbes release before citing.
How are the highest-paid athletes ranked?
Forbes ranks athletes by total pre-tax earnings over a trailing 12-month window (roughly May 2025 to May 2026 for the 2026 list). That figure combines on-field income — salaries, bonuses and prize money — with off-field income such as endorsements, appearance fees, licensing and business ventures. The numbers are estimates built from contracts and industry sources, not audited disclosures.
How much did the top 10 athletes earn combined in 2026?
The 10 highest-paid athletes earned a combined total of roughly $1.4 billion before taxes and agents' fees, based on Forbes estimates. That is broadly in line with the prior year and among the highest combined totals Forbes has recorded since it began tracking athlete earnings in 1990. Treat the total as an approximation.
Are any women on the 2026 highest-paid athletes list?
No women appear in the 2026 overall top 10, which reflects a persistent pay gap in prize money, salaries and headline endorsement deals across most sports. Forbes publishes a separate highest-paid female athletes ranking, typically led by tennis stars, where the top earners make far less than the men's list leaders.
Is Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo paid more in 2026?
Cristiano Ronaldo out-earns Lionel Messi in 2026 by a wide margin — about $300 million to roughly $140 million, by Forbes' estimates. Their income mix also differs: most of Ronaldo's total comes from his playing contract, while Messi's is split more evenly between his Inter Miami earnings and off-field deals.
Do these earnings figures represent net worth?
No. These are single-year earnings estimates, not net worth. Net worth reflects accumulated assets, investments and business stakes built over a career, and is usually far larger. An athlete can rank high on annual earnings one year and drop the next after a contract, injury or retirement, while net worth tends to move more slowly.
Methodology and disclaimer: Rankings and dollar amounts above are compiled estimates based on the Forbes 2026 highest-paid athletes list, which draws on contracts, prize records and interviews with industry sources rather than audited financial statements. All figures are best-available approximate estimates as of July 2026, are pre-tax and pre-agent-fee, and cover a trailing 12-month period; they change over time as contracts, endorsements and results shift. Boxing and other event-driven sports can move athletes several places from year to year. Treat every number as an estimate and verify against the latest Forbes release and primary reporting before citing.
