Ronaldo leads Forbes list of highest-paid athletes once again
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the world’s highest-paid athlete for the sixth time, including four consecutive years at the top. The Forbes ranking highlights his remarkable consistency and dominance in global sports earnings. Ronaldo now matches Michael Jordan for the second-most years at No. 1 since the list began in 1990, only behind Tiger Woods. He remains at the forefront despite a new generation of younger athletes rising in the ranks.
Match highlights
- Cristiano Ronaldo tops Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes for the sixth time, equaling Michael Jordan’s tally.
- His 2026 total ties Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 2015 record for the largest earnings for an active athlete ever tracked by Forbes.
- The top ten for 2026 includes Canelo Álvarez, Lionel Messi, LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, Stephen Curry, Jon Rahm, Karim Benzema, Kevin Durant, and Lewis Hamilton.
- More than half of the top 50 earners are now under 30, but veteran stars like Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Lewis Hamilton (all 41) remain among the elite.
- Ronaldo leads the 2026 earnings table, ahead of stars from boxing, basketball, baseball, golf, and Formula 1.
