Money talks in modern sport — and in 2026, it’s speaking with a Saudi accent.
Using Sportico’s latest earnings estimates, here’s the updated list of the 10 highest-paid athletes in the world, combining salaries and endorsements. Football, basketball, boxing, baseball and golf all make the cut — but one name is operating in a financial universe of his own.
🥇 1. Cristiano Ronaldo – $260M per year
Ronaldo isn’t just top of the list — he’s miles clear of everyone else.
- Salary at Al-Nassr: ~$200M
- Endorsements & image rights: ~$60M
Even at 41, Ronaldo remains the most marketable athlete on the planet. From a fan’s point of view, you feel his commercial power everywhere — billboards, social feeds, sponsorship drops. No one moves products like CR7.
The controversial part?
He’s earning more now than when he was winning Ballon d’Ors in Europe.
🥈 2. Canelo Alvarez – $137M per year
Boxing is still the fastest way to print money.
Canelo’s earnings fluctuate depending on fight activity, but when he’s active, no fighter touches his commercial pull. One mega-fight can earn him what most superstars make in two seasons.
🥉 3. Lionel Messi – $130M per year
Messi’s MLS salary is modest by superstar standards — but his brand value is insane.
- Endorsements + partnerships with Adidas & Apple
- Revenue sharing with Inter Miami deals
- Global ambassador deals
Messi chose lifestyle and legacy over Saudi billions in 2023. Financially? He still sits in the global top three.
4. Juan Soto – $129.2M per year
Baseball money is quiet but brutal.
Soto’s contract with the New York Mets does most of the heavy lifting here.
He earns more from his club than Messi does from football — and that surprises a lot of casual fans.
5. LeBron James – $128.7M per year
LeBron isn’t the NBA’s top salary earner anymore — but his brand is untouchable.
- Endorsements: ~$80M
- Salary: lower than Curry
From Nike to media ventures, LeBron is already operating like a retired mogul who still happens to dominate on the court.
6. Karim Benzema – $115M per year
Saudi football strikes again.
Benzema’s move didn’t just change his career — it redefined his bank account.
From a fan perspective, his Saudi deal feels like a legacy retirement contract — massive pay, low pressure, full control of brand image.
7. Stephen Curry – $105.4M per year
Curry quietly out-earns almost every active NBA player.
- Salary: ~$55.4M
- Endorsements: ~$50M
His Under Armour deal alone puts him in elite territory.
Curry is proof that brand loyalty beats raw salary numbers long-term.
8. Shohei Ohtani – $102.5M per year
Ohtani is baseball’s unicorn — and sponsors treat him like one.
Most of his income comes from endorsements, not salary.
Watching Ohtani’s commercial rise feels similar to Messi’s early branding boom: quiet growth, then total market takeover.
9. Kevin Durant – $100.8M per year
KD’s earnings are perfectly balanced:
- ~$50M salary
- ~$50M endorsements
He doesn’t have LeBron’s mainstream pull, but in sneaker culture and tech investment circles, Durant is elite.
10. Jon Rahm – $100.7M per year
Golf quietly sneaks into the top 10 again.
Rahm’s earnings fluctuate with form and bonuses, but LIV-style contracts and sponsorship guarantees keep elite golfers financially competitive with global superstars.
🔥 The Big Takeaways
- Saudi money has officially changed the financial hierarchy of world sport
- Ronaldo earns double what Messi and LeBron do
- Football dominates the top of the list, but American sports control the volume
- Brand power now matters more than trophies
