World's highest-paid athletes of 2026
Illustration: Ashrafun Naher Ananna/TBS Creative
The world's 10 highest paid athletes earned a combined $1.4 billion over the past 12 months. While their on-field earnings fell to $902 million, down 2% from $920 million in 2025 and 8% from the record $978 million in 2024, off-field income reached a record $513 million. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo topped the rankings for the fourth consecutive year and the sixth time overall.
Note: The list captures income collected from 1 May 2025 to 1 May 2026 including both on-field and off-field earnings
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