Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his dominance at the summit of global sports earnings after being named the world’s highest-paid athlete for a sixth time, including four consecutive years at No. 1.
- +FULL LIST: Ronaldo tops Forbes highest-paid athletes list for sixth time
According to Forbes on Sunday, the 41-year-old Portuguese forward’s latest ranking places him among the most consistently dominant earners in the history of professional sport, with only NBA legend Michael Jordan (six times) and golf icon Tiger Woods (11 times) having spent more time at No.
According to Forbes on Sunday, the 41-year-old Portuguese forward’s latest ranking places him among the most consistently dominant earners in the history of professional sport, with only NBA legend Michael Jordan (six times) and golf icon Tiger Woods (11 times) having spent more time at No. 1.
Forbes noted that Ronaldo’s latest achievement further underlines his sustained position at the top of the earnings ladder, saying he has now matched Jordan’s tally for the second-most years as the world’s highest-paid athlete since the ranking began in 1990.
The report stated that “the 41-year-old Ronaldo’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).”
It also highlighted his longevity at the top, noting that “the number of times Ronaldo has led the ranking across his career, including the last four years straight,” now stands at six.
Ronaldo’s continued presence at No. 1 comes in a shifting global sports economy increasingly influenced by younger athletes, even as veteran stars continue to dominate the upper end of earnings rankings.
The list also places Ronaldo among a small group of ageing elite earners, alongside LeBron James and Lewis Hamilton, all 41, even as more than half of the top 50 athletes are now under 30.
Against that backdrop, Ronaldo remains the clear leader of the 2026 earnings table, ahead of a group of global stars spanning boxing, basketball, baseball, golf and Formula 1.
The following are the top ten world’s highest-paid athletes for 2026, with estimated total earnings (on-field and off-field combined), according to Forbes:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Soccer) — $300 million Canelo Álvarez (Boxing) — $170 million Lionel Messi (Soccer) — $140 million LeBron James (Basketball) — $137.8 million Shohei Ohtani (Baseball) — $127.6 million Stephen Curry (Basketball) — $124.7 million Jon Rahm (Golf) — $107 million Karim Benzema (Soccer) — $104 million Kevin Durant (Basketball) — $103.8 million Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1) — $100 million
