Top 10 Athletes Earned $902 Million in On-Field Pay in 2026
The ten highest-paid athletes collected $902 million from salaries, bonuses, and prize money. The total is 2% below the 2025 figure and 8% below the 2024 record.
manilatimes.netThe ten highest-paid athletes earned a combined $902 million from salaries, bonuses, and prize money in 2026. The amount is down 2% from the $920 million recorded in 2025 and 8% from the $978 million recorded in 2024.
Forbes reported the 2026 total alongside the two prior years. The data cover only on-field compensation and exclude endorsement income. The decline follows consecutive years of growth that peaked in 2024.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- 2026
Top ten athletes earned $902 million in on-field pay.
1 source@Forbes - 2025
Top ten athletes earned $920 million in on-field pay.
1 source@Forbes - 2024
Top ten athletes earned $978 million in on-field pay.
1 source@Forbes
Transparency Panel
Related Stories
straitstimes.comJournalists in Gaza to Receive 2026 Golden Pen of Freedom Award
Three international news agencies will accept the award on behalf of their local staff still reporting from the territory. The World Association of News Publishers cited the journalists' continued coverage under extreme conditions.
upi.comSupreme Court Revives Havana Docks Lawsuit Over Confiscated Cuban Property
The U.S. Supreme Court sent a Helms-Burton Act case back to lower courts for further argument. The suit seeks damages from cruise lines that used docks seized by Cuba in 1959.
France 24Pakistan Population Growth Outpaces Infrastructure as Male Contraception Stays Taboo
Pakistan's population exceeds 258 million and could reach 300 million by 2030. Contraception remains largely taboo in a society shaped by traditional values. The country continues to lag behind neighbors India and Bangladesh in key social sectors.