Forbes released its annual list of the world's 50 highest-paid athletes on May 22, 2026, and for the third consecutive year, no female athlete made the cut.
The ranking underscores a stark economic divide between men and women in professional sports.
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Top Earners and the Gap
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list for the fourth year running with estimated earnings of $300 million.
Boxer Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez came second at $170 million, followed by Lionel Messi with $140 million.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers ranked fourth with $137.8 million, while Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers secured fifth place with over $127 million.
The minimum earnings to enter the top 50 were $54.6 million, held by Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner at the 50th spot.
American tennis star Coco Gauff led female earners with an estimated $33 million in 2025, more than $20 million short of the threshold needed to join the main list.
Forbes noted that since 2012, the only women to break into the top 50 have been tennis players: Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Li Na, and Naomi Osaka, who holds the female record with $60 million in 2021.
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Income Disparity in Team Sports
The report highlighted that the income gap widens significantly in team sports due to differences in television broadcasting rights.
The WNBA operates under a media contract averaging $281 million annually, while the NBA generates an estimated $7 billion per year.
Base salaries also show massive divergence.
LeBron James's $137.8 million total earnings are 11 times the $12.1 million earned by Caitlin Clark.
James's playing salary of $52.6 million dwarfs Clark's $529,000 base pay, which falls below the NBA rookie minimum of $1.3 million.
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Forbes evaluates earnings by combining on-field performance pay such as salaries, bonuses, and prize money with external commercial endorsements, licensing rights, appearances, and memorabilia.
