The ten highest-paid athletes in the world in Forbes' 2026 ranking, by estimated total earnings on and off the field.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest-paid athlete in the world, with estimated earnings of US$300 million in Forbes' 2026 ranking. Canelo Álvarez is second at US$170 million and Lionel Messi third at US$140 million. The ranking uses Forbes' May 2026 estimates of total on-field and off-field earnings.
These are the world's ten highest-paid athletes in Forbes' 2026 ranking, published in May 2026. Each figure is a Forbes estimate that adds on-field pay (salary, prize money and bonuses) to off-field income (endorsements and other business income). Cristiano Ronaldo is first for the fourth year in a row, at an estimated $300 million. That matches Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s $300 million on Forbes' 2015 list. All ten athletes earned at least $100 million. The list spans football, boxing, basketball, baseball, golf and Formula 1, and three of the ten (Canelo Álvarez, Jon Rahm and Lewis Hamilton) were not in the 2025 top ten.
Forbes estimates Cristiano Ronaldo earned $300 million: $235 million on the field and $65 million off it. He tops the Forbes list for the fourth year in a row, and his total matches Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s $300 million on the 2015 list.
The Mexican boxer is second with an estimated $170 million. Almost all of it, $160 million, came from fighting; Forbes puts his off-field income at $10 million.
Lionel Messi earned an estimated $140 million, split evenly between $70 million on the field and $70 million off it.
LeBron James earned an estimated $137.8 million: $52.8 million on the court and $85 million off it. His off-field income is the second highest on the list, after Shohei Ohtani's.
Shohei Ohtani earned an estimated $127.6 million, but only $2.6 million of it on the field. His $125 million in off-field income is the most of any athlete on the list.
Stephen Curry earned an estimated $124.7 million: $59.7 million on the court and $65 million off it. He was second on Forbes' 2025 list with $156 million.
Jon Rahm, the only golfer in the top ten, earned an estimated $107 million: $97 million on the course and $10 million off it.
Karim Benzema earned an estimated $104 million, $100 million of it on the field. His $4 million in off-field income is the lowest in the top ten.
Kevin Durant earned an estimated $103.8 million: $54.8 million on the court and $49 million off it. He is one of three basketball players in the top ten, with LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
Lewis Hamilton completes the top ten at an estimated $100 million: $70 million on the track and $30 million off it. He is the only racing driver on the list.
| # | Name | sport | on_field | off_field | nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Football | $235M | $65M | Portugal |
| 2 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | $160M | $10M | Mexico |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | Football | $70M | $70M | Argentina |
| 4 | LeBron James | Basketball | $52.8M | $85M | United States |
| 5 | Shohei Ohtani | Baseball | $2.6M | $125M | Japan |
| 6 | Stephen Curry | Basketball | $59.7M | $65M | United States |
| 7 | Jon Rahm | Golf | $97M | $10M | Spain |
| 8 | Karim Benzema | Football | $100M | $4M | France |
| 9 | Kevin Durant | Basketball | $54.8M | $49M | United States |
| 10 | Lewis Hamilton | Formula 1 | $70M | $30M | United Kingdom |
Athletes are ranked by total earnings as estimated by Forbes in its 2026 list of the world's highest-paid athletes (published May 2026). Only that one edition is used; figures from other years or from other compilers are not mixed in. Forbes splits each total into on-field earnings (salary, prize money and bonuses) and off-field earnings (endorsements and other business income); both columns are shown for each athlete. Figures are Forbes estimates in US dollars, before taxes and agents' fees, and are not reported by the athletes. Rank 1 is the highest earner.
Cristiano Ronaldo, with estimated earnings of $300 million in Forbes' 2026 ranking: $235 million on the field and $65 million off it. It is his fourth straight year at number one.
Forbes estimates each athlete's on-field earnings (salary, prize money and bonuses) and off-field earnings (endorsements and other business income) and adds them together. The figures are estimates in US dollars, before taxes and agents' fees.
Tyson Fury, Dak Prescott and Juan Soto were in Forbes' 2025 top ten but not the 2026 one. Canelo Álvarez, Jon Rahm and Lewis Hamilton took their places.
All ten athletes in Forbes' 2026 top ten earned at least $100 million. Lewis Hamilton, in tenth place, is estimated at exactly $100 million.
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