
Ronaldo Tops Forbes 2026 Richest Athletes List as NBA Stars Rise
Forbes’ 2026 list crowns Cristiano Ronaldo at $300 million (235m on-field, 65m off-field), keeping him atop the rankings; Lionel Messi and LeBron James follow, while Shohei Ohtani, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant also crack the top 10. The standings highlight soccer and basketball as the best-represented sports, and underscore a heavy role for off-field deals in driving earnings—Ohtani’s large off-field income helps him reach No. 5 despite modest on-field pay.




