Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World 2026

Hook Introduction

Cristiano Ronaldo just earned more in one year than any active athlete in Forbes’ 36-year history of tracking sports income, a $300 million haul that ties Floyd Mayweather’s 2015 record.

Forbes released its official 2026 rankings in May, capturing earnings from May 2025 through May 2026. Here’s the real breakdown, including exactly how much of each fortune came from playing versus off-field business.

Key Highlights (Quick Facts)

• Cristiano Ronaldo earned an estimated $300 million over the past 12 months, the largest total Forbes has measured for any active athlete since it began tracking athlete earnings in 1990.
• This is Ronaldo’s fourth consecutive year and sixth time overall atop the Forbes rankings, tying him with Michael Jordan for second-most years at #1, behind only Tiger Woods, who led 11 times.
• The top 10 athletes combined earned $1.4 billion over the past year, more than double the $635 million total from 2016, when Ronaldo first claimed the #1 spot with $88 million.
• Shohei Ohtani earned an estimated $125 million off the field alone — the most any active athlete has made outside their sport in Forbes’ 36 years of tracking, aside from Conor McGregor’s 2021 whiskey-sale-driven total.
• Lewis Hamilton’s $100 million set a new all-time earnings record for a Formula 1 driver, surpassing his own previous mark of $82 million set in 2021.
• The average age of this year’s top 10 is 37, the oldest Forbes has ever recorded for this list — up from 35 in 2025 and 32 in 2024.
• No women appear among the 50 highest-paid athletes globally in 2026, according to Forbes’ companion analysis of the broader rankings.
• Saudi-backed sports investment shaped several fortunes on this list, though Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced in April 2026 that it would cease funding LIV Golf beyond the current season, part of a broader spending pull-back.

How This Ranking Is Calculated

This list follows Forbes’ official 2026 Highest-Paid Athletes ranking, published May 22, 2026, and captures pretax income earned between May 1, 2025, and May 1, 2026, before agent fees. Forbes splits each athlete’s total into two categories: on-field earnings (salaries, prize money, bonuses) and off-field earnings (endorsements, appearances, licensing, business ventures), giving a clearer picture of where each fortune actually comes from.

We’ve kept both figures for every entry, since the split reveals genuinely different kinds of athletes — some make almost all their money playing their sport, while others, like Shohei Ohtani, earn the overwhelming majority from business and endorsements instead.

The Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World

1. Cristiano Ronaldo — $300 million

Ronaldo tops the list for the sixth time overall and fourth year running, earning an estimated $235 million on the field through his contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, plus $65 million off the field from endorsements, appearances, licensing, and memorabilia. His total ties Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 2015 haul for the largest Forbes has ever measured for an active athlete, though adjusted for inflation, Mayweather’s figure remains higher at $427 million.

Beyond playing, Ronaldo acquired a 25% stake in UD Almería, a Spanish second-division club, in February 2026 — a deal with added intrigue given the team’s Saudi Media Company ownership link. His sponsor roster includes Binance, Nike, and Perplexity, and Herbalife disclosed he’d personally invested $7.5 million into its health-tech subsidiary, with the company’s shares jumping 18% the following day.

On-field: $235 million. Off-field: $65 million. Sport: Soccer (Al-Nassr, Saudi Pro League). Age: 41.

2. Canelo Álvarez — $170 million

Canelo’s earnings were driven overwhelmingly by boxing itself — $160 million on-field against just $10 million off-field — anchored by his multi-fight deal with Saudi promoter Turki Alalshikh, reportedly worth as much as $400 million across four fights. His May 2025 win over William Scull in Riyadh drew a Nevada-record 70,482 attendance for his September rematch loss to Terence Crawford, which still pulled in more than 41 million Netflix viewers.

Beyond the ring, the 35-year-old Mexican boxer has built a genuine business portfolio spanning gas stations, convenience stores, and VMC, his own canned cocktail brand, alongside a new production deal with Box to Box Films, the studio behind Formula 1’s Drive to Survive.

On-field: $160 million. Off-field: $10 million. Sport: Boxing. Age: 35.

3. Lionel Messi — $140 million

Messi’s earnings split almost perfectly evenly — $70 million on-field, $70 million off-field — reflecting both his massive Inter Miami salary and a deep endorsement portfolio. The MLS Players Association disclosed his guaranteed compensation at $28.3 million for the season, more than the entire payroll of 28 other MLS teams combined, further boosted by revenue-sharing tied to league partners Adidas and Apple TV.

In October 2025, Messi signed a contract extension keeping him at Inter Miami through 2028, while also purchasing Spanish fifth-division club Cornellà and, through a real estate investment trust, a long-shuttered Barcelona building for roughly $13 million.

On-field: $70 million. Off-field: $70 million. Sport: Soccer (Inter Miami, MLS). Age: 38.

4. LeBron James — $137.8 million

LeBron’s earnings lean heavily off-field — $85 million versus $52.8 million on-field — reflecting his status as one of sports’ most successful business figures, not just players. He’s a partner in Fenway Sports Group (owner of MLB’s Boston Red Sox and the Premier League’s Liverpool), and recently participated in a funding round valuing wearable-tech company Whoop at $10.1 billion.

At 41, James is openly weighing retirement, telling reporters “I don’t know what the future holds for me,” while his podcast Mind The Game with Steve Nash struck a multiyear Amazon distribution deal. His endorsement roster includes DraftKings, Hennessy, and Richard Mille.

On-field: $52.8 million. Off-field: $85 million. Sport: Basketball (Los Angeles Lakers, NBA). Age: 41.

5. Shohei Ohtani — $127.6 million

Ohtani’s earnings breakdown is genuinely remarkable: just $2.6 million on-field against an estimated $125 million off-field — the highest off-field total any active athlete has posted in Forbes’ 36 years of tracking, aside from Conor McGregor’s 2021 whiskey-sale-driven figure. His 10-year, $700 million Dodgers contract defers most payments until 2034, meaning his current salary is modest relative to his true value.

Ohtani’s more than 20 sponsors span both Western and Japanese markets — Fanatics, Hugo Boss, and New Balance alongside FamilyMart, Ito En tea, and Seiko watches — and he’s held MLB’s best-selling jersey for three consecutive seasons as the three-time reigning MVP.

On-field: $2.6 million. Off-field: $125 million. Sport: Baseball (Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB). Age: 31.

6. Stephen Curry — $124.7 million

Curry’s earnings split closely — $59.7 million on-field, $65 million off-field — in his final contract year with the Golden State Warriors before becoming the first NBA player to break the $60 million single-season salary barrier in 2026-27 at $62.6 million. The bigger 2026 story was his November split from longtime partner Under Armour, after which he wore several rival sneaker brands in games and auctioned off more than 70 pairs for charity.

Curry retains partnerships with Chase, Google, and Rakuten, published a book titled Shot Ready, and co-directed a documentary that won the Sundance Film Festival’s Short Film Grand Jury Prize in January 2026.

On-field: $59.7 million. Off-field: $65 million. Sport: Basketball (Golden State Warriors, NBA). Age: 38.

7. Jon Rahm — $107 million

Rahm’s earnings lean heavily on-field — $97 million versus $10 million off-field — reflecting his 2023 move from the PGA Tour to Saudi-backed LIV Golf, a decision he’s described in more recent, less convincing terms as one he doesn’t regret. He remains contractually tied to LIV for several more years even as the league faces genuine funding uncertainty.

Beyond golf earnings, Rahm endorses Callaway, Rolex, and Santander Bank, and made news in March 2026 for reportedly chartering a private jet to evacuate seven fellow LIV golfers and a caddie from the Middle East following escalating regional tensions.

On-field: $97 million. Off-field: $10 million. Sport: Golf (LIV Golf). Age: 31.

8. Karim Benzema — $104 million

Benzema’s earnings come overwhelmingly from playing — $100 million on-field against just $4 million off-field — reflecting his nine-figure Saudi Pro League salary. The 38-year-old Frenchman transferred from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal in early 2026 following a contract dispute, scoring a hat trick in his debut and helping his new club win Saudi Arabia’s King’s Cup tournament.

Off the field, Benzema has appeared in campaigns for Adidas and two Saudi fragrance brands, and reportedly holds an agreement to serve as a club ambassador for his former team, Real Madrid, once he retires from playing.

On-field: $100 million. Off-field: $4 million. Sport: Soccer (Al-Hilal, Saudi Pro League). Age: 38.

9. Kevin Durant — $103.8 million

Durant’s earnings split relatively evenly — $54.8 million on-field, $49 million off-field — and by Forbes’ count, he’s now crossed $1 billion in career earnings, becoming only the eighth athlete ever to do so while still active. He joined the Houston Rockets via trade in mid-2025 and signed a two-year, $90 million extension that October, deliberately sacrificing roughly $30 million relative to his maximum possible salary in exchange for a 2027-28 player option.

Beyond playing, Durant runs media company Boardroom and investment firm 35V, holds endorsements with CeraVe, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and FanDuel, and passed Michael Jordan for fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list in March 2026.

On-field: $54.8 million. Off-field: $49 million. Sport: Basketball (Houston Rockets, NBA). Age: 37.

10. Lewis Hamilton — $100 million

Hamilton’s $100 million set a new all-time Formula 1 earnings record, comfortably surpassing his own previous mark of $82 million from 2021 — split roughly $70 million on-field, $30 million off-field. His first season with Ferrari didn’t match his championship-caliber history on-track (he finished sixth in the standings), but his commercial success has never been stronger.

Unlike most F1 drivers, who are often restricted from personal sponsorships by team obligations, Hamilton has built an unusually broad independent commercial portfolio — Dior, Lululemon, and Rimowa among his partners — alongside producing 2025’s F1 film and running several of his own ventures, including clothing brand +44 and non-alcoholic spirit brand Almave.

On-field: $70 million. Off-field: $30 million. Sport: Auto racing (Ferrari, Formula 1). Age: 41.

Important Statistics Table

Rank	Athlete	Total Earnings	On-Field	Off-Field	Sport
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	$300 million	$235M	$65M	Soccer
2	Canelo Álvarez	$170 million	$160M	$10M	Boxing
3	Lionel Messi	$140 million	$70M	$70M	Soccer
4	LeBron James	$137.8 million	$52.8M	$85M	Basketball
5	Shohei Ohtani	$127.6 million	$2.6M	$125M	Baseball
6	Stephen Curry	$124.7 million	$59.7M	$65M	Basketball
7	Jon Rahm	$107 million	$97M	$10M	Golf
8	Karim Benzema	$104 million	$100M	$4M	Soccer
9	Kevin Durant	$103.8 million	$54.8M	$49M	Basketball
10	Lewis Hamilton	$100 million	$70M	$30M	Auto racing

Source: Forbes, “The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2026,” published May 22, 2026 (updated May 27, 2026). Figures reflect pretax income from May 1, 2025, to May 1, 2026, before agent fees.

Step-by-Step: How Athlete Earnings Actually Break Down

1. Understand the on-field vs. off-field split first. Some athletes (Benzema, Rahm, Álvarez) earn nearly all their income playing; others (Ohtani, LeBron) earn the majority off the field entirely.
2. Note that “on-field” includes prize money and bonuses, not just salary. For golfers and boxers especially, tournament winnings and fight purses count as on-field income alongside any base pay.
3. Recognize that off-field income spans very different categories. Endorsements, business ownership stakes, media ventures, and licensing are all bundled into this figure, so two athletes with similar off-field totals may earn that money in very different ways.
4. Watch for deferred-compensation effects. Ohtani’s on-field figure looks unusually low specifically because his $700 million Dodgers contract defers most payments until 2034 — his real on-field value is far higher than his current cash salary suggests.
5. Factor in geopolitical and league-level shifts. Saudi-backed leagues and sponsorships (LIV Golf, the Saudi Pro League, Riyadh Season boxing) shaped several fortunes on this list, and funding changes at that level can meaningfully affect future rankings.
6. Remember this measures pretax income before agent fees, not net worth or take-home pay — actual money kept by each athlete is meaningfully lower after taxes and management fees.

Pros and Cons Table

Athlete	Pros (Earnings Strength)	Cons (Risk Factor)
Cristiano Ronaldo	Record-setting $300M total, massive global brand	At 41, career-ending decline could affect future on-field income
Canelo Álvarez	Massive Saudi promotional deal, diverse business ventures	Recent loss to Crawford could affect future fight purses
Lionel Messi	Perfectly balanced on/off-field income	MLS salary structure caps some future on-field upside
LeBron James	Strongest off-field business empire on this list	Openly considering retirement, creating future income uncertainty
Shohei Ohtani	Unmatched off-field earning power for an active athlete	Deferred contract means limited current cash on-field income
Stephen Curry	Balanced income, strong personal brand post-Under Armour split	Lost major sneaker partnership, must rebuild that revenue stream
Jon Rahm	Strong on-field golf earnings	Contractually tied to financially uncertain LIV Golf
Karim Benzema	High guaranteed Saudi Pro League salary	Minimal off-field diversification (just $4M)
Kevin Durant	Crossed $1B career earnings, diverse business interests	Took below-max contract, prioritizing flexibility over peak pay
Lewis Hamilton	Record F1 earnings, strong independent brand deals	On-track performance (6th place finish) below historical standard

Comparison Table: On-Field vs. Off-Field Earners

Category	Leading Athlete	Split	What It Reflects
Highest total earnings	Cristiano Ronaldo	$300M ($235M/$65M)	Record-setting Saudi Pro League contract plus global brand
Highest off-field earnings	Shohei Ohtani	$125M off-field	Unmatched sponsor diversification, deferred playing salary
Highest on-field earnings	Cristiano Ronaldo	$235M on-field	Direct Al-Nassr playing contract
Most balanced on/off split	Lionel Messi	$70M / $70M	Strong MLS salary matched by deep endorsement portfolio
Most off-field-dependent (relative)	Shohei Ohtani	98% off-field	Deferred contract structure suppresses current on-field cash
Most on-field-dependent (relative)	Karim Benzema	96% on-field	Minimal endorsement diversification
New sport-specific earnings record	Lewis Hamilton	$100M (F1 record)	Surpassed his own 2021 record of $82M

2026 News and Trends

The clearest storyline in 2026 is historic scale at the very top: Ronaldo’s $300 million ties the largest total Forbes has ever recorded for an active athlete, and the combined top 10 earned $1.4 billion — more than double the $635 million total from 2016, when Ronaldo first claimed the #1 spot. Each of this year’s top 10 also posted at least $100 million for the third consecutive year, a first in the ranking’s history.

Off-field income is increasingly outpacing on-field earnings for the group as a whole: the top 10 earned an estimated $513 million from sponsorships and business ventures combined, edging past the previous high of $512 million set in 2021, even as their combined on-field earnings actually dipped slightly, down 2% from 2025’s $920 million.

Saudi Arabia’s sports-spending influence shaped multiple fortunes on this list — Ronaldo, Álvarez, Rahm, and Benzema all draw meaningfully from Saudi-backed contracts, leagues, or promotional deals. However, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced in April 2026 that it would cease funding LIV Golf beyond the current season, part of a broader pull-back in sports spending — a shift worth watching closely for its potential effect on future rankings.

The list’s average age (37) is the oldest Forbes has ever recorded, a trend that stands in sharp contrast to the broader top-50 ranking, where the average age has drifted down to 30, with more than half the list under 25. Separately, Forbes’ companion 2026 analysis found that no women appear among the 50 highest-paid athletes globally this year.

Conclusion

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-tying $300 million headlines a genuinely historic year for athlete earnings in 2026, with the top 10 combined pulling in $1.4 billion — more than double what the list generated just a decade ago. Behind the headline number, the real story is how differently these fortunes are built: Ohtani’s off-field-dominant earnings look nothing like Benzema’s almost entirely on-field paycheck, even though both landed in the same top-10 tier.

References

1. Forbes – The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2026: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2026/05/22/the-worlds-10-highest-paid-athletes-2026/
2. Forbes – Inside The $4.1 Billion Haul By 2026’s 50 Highest-Paid Athletes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2026/05/22/inside-the-41-billion-haul-by-2026s-50-highest-paid-athletes/
3. Forbes – The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 25 And Under For 2026: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2026/05/22/the-worlds-highest-paid-athletes-25-and-under-for-2026/
4. Forbes – Why None Of 2026’s 50 Highest-Paid Athletes Are Women: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hanktucker/2026/05/22/why-none-of-2026s-50-highest-paid-athletes-are-women/
5. Forbes – The Methodology Behind The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes For 2026: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2026/05/22/the-methodology-behind-the-worlds-highest-paid-athletes-for-2026/
6. Bleacher Report – Forbes’ 2026 Highest-Paid Athletes List Drops, Rankings for LeBron James, Steph Curry, More Revealed: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25430214-forbes-2026-highest-paid-athletes-list-drops-rankings-lebron-james-steph-curry-more-revealed
7. E! Online – Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and More Ace as the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes in 2026: https://www.eonline.com/news/1432529/highest-paid-athletes-in-2026-revealed-cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi

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