Forbes released its official 2026 ranking of the world’s highest-paid athletes on May 22, and the list confirms something that’s been building for years: sports’ biggest stars are no longer just athletes, they’re full-scale businesses. The top 10 alone combined for more than $1.4 billion in earnings over the past year, and for the third year running, every single one of them cleared $100 million.
Here’s the complete breakdown of the highest-paid athletes in the world for 2026, how their money breaks down between salary and endorsements, and what’s driving the numbers to new records.
Quick Answer: Who Is the Highest-Paid Athlete in 2026?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2026, earning an estimated $300 million over the past 12 months. That figure ties boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 2015 haul for the largest single-year total Forbes has ever recorded for an active athlete, and it makes 2026 Ronaldo’s fourth consecutive year, and sixth time overall, at the top of the list.
Top 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in the World 2026
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Total Earnings | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | $300 million | Portugal |
| 2 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | $170 million | Mexico |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | $140 million | Argentina |
| 4 | LeBron James | Basketball | $137.8 million | USA |
| 5 | Shohei Ohtani | Baseball | $127.6 million | Japan |
| 6 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | ~$120 million | USA |
| 7 | Jon Rahm | Golf | ~$110 million | Spain |
| 8 | Karim Benzema | Soccer | ~$105 million | France |
| 9 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | ~$100 million | USA |
| 10 | Lewis Hamilton | Formula 1 | ~$100 million | UK |
Figures reflect pre-tax income from May 1, 2025, to May 1, 2026, as estimated by Forbes.
Cristiano Ronaldo: A Record-Breaking Number One
Ronaldo’s $300 million total splits into $235 million in on-field earnings from his contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr, plus another $65 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing, and other business ventures.
This isn’t a new phenomenon for him. Ronaldo has now topped the Forbes list six times in the past 11 years, tying NBA legend Michael Jordan for the second-most years at number one. Only Tiger Woods, who led the ranking 11 times between 2002 and 2013, has claimed the top spot more often. At 41 years old, and closing in on 1,000 career goals, Ronaldo’s decision to move to Saudi Arabia in 2023 has paid off financially in a way few athletes in history have matched.
Canelo Álvarez: Boxing’s Big Payday
Canelo Álvarez jumps to second place with $170 million, driven almost entirely by a single massive payday from his fight against Terence Crawford. It’s a reminder of how differently boxing income works compared to team sports: rather than a steady annual salary, a boxer’s entire year can hinge on one or two fight purses.
Lionel Messi: Still Among the Game’s Best Earners
Messi rounds out the top three with $140 million, split evenly between his on-field earnings with Inter Miami and off-field endorsement income. At 38 years old, in what was widely expected to be one of his final seasons at the top level, Messi remains one of the most commercially valuable athletes on the planet, even as his on-field workload has decreased compared to his peak years in Europe.
LeBron James: Off-Court Income Now Outweighs His Salary
LeBron James, at 41 years old, remains the highest-paid player in the NBA and the fourth-highest-paid athlete in the world overall, with $137.8 million in total earnings. What stands out is the split: the majority of that figure, $85 million, comes from off-court business activities rather than his playing contract. His investment and endorsement portfolio includes stakes and deals with companies like DraftKings, Hennessy, and Richard Mille, reflecting a broader shift where James now earns more as a businessman than as a basketball player.
Shohei Ohtani: Baseball’s Highest Earner
Shohei Ohtani lands at number five with $127.6 million, the highest total ever recorded for a baseball player on the Forbes list. A significant portion of that figure traces back to bonus structures tied to his record-setting contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a $40 million signing bonus and a separate $38 million option bonus.
The Rest of the Top 10
Rounding out the list, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant both bring in earnings with close to an even split between on-court salary and endorsement income, reflecting basketball’s continued strength as a sport for athlete branding deals. Golf’s Jon Rahm, soccer veteran Karim Benzema, and Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton complete the top 10, with Hamilton, also 41 years old like Ronaldo and James, showing that F1’s global commercial reach continues to translate into massive off-track earning potential for its biggest stars.
No Women on the List, Again
For the third consecutive year, none of Forbes’ 50 highest-paid athletes are women. That’s despite genuine growth in women’s sports commercially, headlined by tennis star Coco Gauff, who remains the world’s highest-paid female athlete but doesn’t come close to cracking the overall top 50, where the cutoff sits above $46 million.
Rising Stars: The Under-25 List
Forbes also breaks out a separate ranking for athletes 25 and under, and it’s led by Erling Haaland, whose $80 million in total earnings, split between his Manchester City contract and endorsements, also lands him at number 19 on the overall list. Tennis’ Carlos Alcaraz, at just 23 years old with seven Grand Slam titles already to his name, ranks 32nd overall with $61.5 million.
Tiger Woods Misses the Cut
Even Tiger Woods, at 50 years old, didn’t make this year’s top 50, falling roughly $8 million short of the cutoff despite still earning an estimated $46 million over the past year. It’s the first time in his professional career, dating back to 1996, that Woods has missed the list entirely, a quiet marker of just how much the qualifying bar has risen for the world’s top earners.
How Forbes Calculates These Rankings
Forbes’ methodology tracks pre-tax income earned between May 1 of the prior year and May 1 of the current year, before subtracting taxes or agent fees. It combines two categories: on-field or on-court earnings, meaning salaries, prize money, and bonuses tied directly to competing, and off-field earnings, which covers endorsements, appearances, licensing deals, memorabilia, and other business ventures unrelated to competition itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2026?
Cristiano Ronaldo, with total earnings of $300 million over the past 12 months, according to Forbes.
How much of Ronaldo’s earnings come from endorsements versus his salary?
Of his $300 million total, $235 million comes from his playing contract with Al-Nassr, and $65 million comes from endorsements and other off-field business activities.
Is there a woman on the list of highest-paid athletes in 2026?
No. For the third year in a row, none of Forbes’ top 50 highest-paid athletes are women.
Who is the highest-paid athlete under 25 in 2026?
Erling Haaland, with an estimated $80 million in total earnings, making him both the top earner under 25 and the 19th-highest-paid athlete overall.
How much did the top 10 highest-paid athletes earn combined in 2026?
More than $1.4 billion combined, with every athlete in the top 10 earning over $100 million for the third consecutive year.
Did Tiger Woods make the 2026 list?
No. Woods earned an estimated $46 million, missing the top 50 cutoff by roughly $8 million, the first time he’s been left off the list since turning pro in 1996.
What time period does the Forbes ranking cover?
Earnings collected between May 1, 2025, and May 1, 2026, reported before taxes and agent fees.
Related Posts
- Messi vs Ronaldo World Cup 2026: The Complete Stats, Records & Timeline
- Erling Haaland: Career Biography and His Historic 2026 World Cup Run
Conclusion
The 2026 Forbes rankings tell a clear story: at the very top of professional sports, off-field business income now rivals, and sometimes exceeds, on-field salaries. Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-tying $300 million marks a new ceiling for what an individual athlete can earn in a single year, but the list as a whole, from LeBron James‘ business empire to Shohei Ohtani’s bonus-heavy contract structure, shows that the modern athlete’s paycheck is built on a lot more than just the game itself.
