When athletes turn professional, they earn by putting their bodies through years of punishment to reach the top. Before looking at the numbers, it is worth keeping one thing in mind: these earningsꦍ are deserved, even for those of us who never see the work that goes into them. Career-ending damage is common — ACL tears, meniscus damage and joint dislocations follow a great many athletes into retirement.
Forbes published its 2026 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes in May 2026. The ten names on it earned more than USD 1.4 billion between them across the 2025–26 season. Widen the list to 50 athletes and the total reache😼s USD 4.1 billion.
These totals cover base salaries𓆏, bonuses, prize money, appearance fees, licensing and endorsement income. They are figures before tax, expenses and fines. As in pre🌟vious years, no female athlete appears in the top 10.
The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in 2026
| # | Athlete | Sport | 2026 earnings (USD) |
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Soccer | 300 million |
| 2 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | 170 million |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Soccer | 140 million |
| 4 | LeBron James | Basketball | 137.8 million |
| 5 | Shohei Ohtani | Baseball | 127.6 million |
| 6 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | 124.7 million |
| 7 | Jon Rahm | Golf | 107 million |
| 8 | Karim Benzema | Soccer | 104 million |
| 9 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | 103.8 million |
| 10 | Lewis Hamilton | Formula 1 | 100 million |
No 1. Cristiano Ronaldo — USD 300 million
Ronaldo tops the list for a 🔴third straight year, and by a wider margin than anyone before him. An estimated USD 235 million came from his playing contract at Al-Nassr, with roughly USD 65 million from endorsements, appearances, licensing, memorabilia and his own business ventures. No athlete in any sport has ever been paid more in a single year.
No 2. Canelo Álvarez — USD 170 million
Almost all of Álvarez’s total — around USD 160 million — was earned inside the ring. Boxing remains the one sport where a single night’s work can outpay an entire season elsewhere, and Álvarez is the clearest example of it.
No 3. Lionel Messi — USD 140 million
Messi’s earnings split roughly evenly between on-field and off-field income. His move to Inter Miami reshaped the commercial side of Major League Soccer, and his endorsement portfolio remains one of the broadest in world sport.
No 4. LeBron James — USD 137.8 million
James has appeared in the top 10 for more than a decade. The ma⛄jority of his income now comes from outside basketball — endorsements, media and equity in businesses he helped build.
No 5. Shohei Ohtani — USD 127.6 million
Ohtani is the highest-paid baseball player in the world and the first from the sport to reach this part of the list. His unusual contract structure defers most of his salary, so a laꦑrge share of his annual income comes from endorsements — particularly in Japan.
No 6. Stephen Curry — USD 124.7 million
Curry’s off-court income continues to grow through his long-term footwear partnership and production work, keeping him inside the top 10 well into the later stage of his playing career.
No 7. Jon Rahm — USD 107 million
Golf’s highest earner this year. Prize money makes up only part of the figure; the bulk comes from tour contracts and endorsements.
No 8. Karim Benzema — USD 104 million
Benzema is the third soccer player in the top 10, and the second whose earnings come mainly from a Saudi Pro League contract — a reminder of how much the league has changed football’s pay structure since 2023.
No 9. Kevin Durant — USD 103.8 million
Durant combines one of the NBA’s largest salaries with a wide endorsement and investment portfolio.
No 10. Lewis Hamilton — USD 100 million
Hamilton is t💮he only Formula 1 driver in the top 10. His Ferrari contract and long-standing endorsement deals put him level with the hundred-million mark.
What the 2026 List Tells Us
Three points standﷺ out. Soccer holds three of the ten places, and two of those three are paid by Saudi clubs — the Saudi Pro League has become the single biggest driver of change in athlete pay. Basketball holds three places, all from players whose off-court income now rivals their salaries. And boxing, with one name, produces the highest earnings-per-appearance of any sport on the list.
Sports Betting and the Rise of Digital Platforms
As athlete pay has grown, the sports industry around it has changed too — particularly through online sports betting in Myanmar. Platforms that let people wager on their favourite athletes or teams are now a significant part of the global⭕ sports economy, with soccer, basketball and boxing leading the way.
Online platforms offer a wide range of betting markets and real-time updates, so fans can bet on anything from a match result to an individual player’s performance. Whether you follow the big events or bet casually, digital sports betting has changed how fans engage with the sports they watch.