The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2026
See Forbes' 2026 list of the world's highest-paid athletes, featuring a record payday by Cristiano Ronaldo, plus nine other sports stars who made at least $100 million.
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. Here are some of the other most eye-popping figures from the 2026 ranking of the world’s 50 highest-paid athletes. $300 million Cristiano Ronaldo’s estimated earnings from the past 12 months.
The 41-year-old Portuguese soccer star’s 2026 total ties him with boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. ’s haul from 2015 for the largest for an active athlete ever tracked by Forbes , dating to 1990 (unadjusted for inflation). 6 The number of times Ronaldo has led the ranking across his career, including the last four years straight.
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