Have you ever wondered who the highest-paid athletes in the world are? Football players, racers, basketball players, golfers, and so on are all examples. But, according to our research reports, many people wonder how much these athletes earn because they are highly compensated for their preparation and receive a substantial sum of money as prize money when they compete. This article identifies those athletes based on the amount of earning money. Here are the Highest-paid Athletes in The World of 2022:
Please Note: The InCAP offers this list of Highest-paid Athletes in The World – 2022. It’s an analysis of the International Corporate Association of Professionals (InCAP), so there is no opportunity for debate centering on this ranking.
Age: 33 years
Citizenship: American
Sports Type: Basketball
Salary: $40.92 million
Net Worth: $170 million
Kevin Wayne Durant is an NBA basketball player who currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the second overall choice in the 2007 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics after one season of collegiate basketball with the Texas Longhorns.
He spent nine seasons with the organization, renamed the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008, until joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016, where he won back-to-back NBA titles in 2017 and 2018. He signed with the Nets as a free agency that summer after suffering an Achilles injury in the 2019 finals. Durant has been dubbed “the best player in the NBA” and is usually considered one of the all-time greats.
Age: 44 years
Citizenship: American
Sports Type: Football
Salary: $32 million
Net Worth: $400 million
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is an American football quarterback who plays for the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL). From 2001 to 2019, he spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, where he was a key part of the franchise’s success. Brady is largely recognized as the all-time greatest quarterback.
Brady was drafted 199th overall by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft after playing college football at Michigan, earning him the nickname “the NFL’s biggest draft steal.” He was promoted to starter quarterback during his second season, and the Patriots won their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVI, and his success continued.
Age: 37 years
Citizenship: British
Sports Type: Motorsports Racing
Salary: $40 million
Net Worth: $285 million
Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton is a racing driver from the United Kingdom. He now drives for Mercedes in Formula One after driving for McLaren from 2007 to 2012. Hamilton has seven World Drivers’ Championship titles and the most wins, pole positions, and podium finish in Formula One.
In 1998, he joined the McLaren young driver program. Because of his high-profile lifestyle, environmental and social advocacy, and musical and fashion achievements, Hamilton has been credited for increasing Formula One’s global popularity by appealing to a bigger audience outside the sport. He’s also become a vocal supporter of the anti-racism movement and promoting more diversity in racing.
Age: 40 years
Citizenship: South African, Swiss
Sports Type: Tennis
Salary: $90.6 million
Net Worth: $550 million
Roger Federer is a professional tennis player from Switzerland. The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has ranked him world No. 1 for 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks, and he has won the year-end No. 1 five times. He has 103 ATP singles titles, second only to Jimmy Connors in all-time, including 20 Grand Slam titles, eight men’s singles Wimbledon trophies, and six year-end titles.
Federer is a skilled all-court player whose perceived ease has made him a favorite among tennis fans. He altered his on-court behavior from a lack of self-control as a junior to become well-liked for his overall graciousness, winning the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award 13 times.
Age: 30 years
Citizenship: Brazilian
Sports Type: Football
Salary: $78 million
Net Worth: $200 million
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, better known by his nickname Neymar, is a Brazilian footballer who plays forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian national team. He is highly considered as one of the world’s top players. At Santos, where he made his professional debut at 17, Neymar rose to notoriety.
He was instrumental in Santos winning two consecutive Campeonato Paulista titles; a Copa does Brazil and the 2011 Copa Libertadores, the club’s first since 1963. Since his debut at 18, Neymar has scored 70 goals in 116 matches for Brazil, trailing only Pelé in goal scoring.
Age: 37 years
Citizenship: American
Sports Type: Basketball
Salary: $41.18 million
Net Worth: $850 million
LeBron Raymone James Sr. is a professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA (NBA). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA players of all time, and he is frequently compared to Michael Jordan in disputes over who is the best basketball player of all time.
Four NBA championships, four NBA MVP awards, four NBA Finals MVP awards, three All-Star MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals have all been won by James. He has the most points in the playoffs, the second-most points in his career, and the seventh most assists. He has been named an NBA All-Star 18 times, a record 17 times to the All-NBA Team, and five times to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Age: 28 years
Citizenship: American
Sports Type: Football
Salary: $34.45 million
Net Worth: $40 million
Rayne Dakota Prescott is an American football quarterback for the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys (NFL). He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys after playing college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
Prescott was supposed to be a backup in his rookie season, but after starter Tony Romo was hurt in the preseason, he became the Cowboys’ starting quarterback. He was recognized for his on-field accomplishments during the year, including assisting the Cowboys in clinching the top seed in their conference. In addition, he broke multiple rookie quarterback records, was voted NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
Age: 37 years
Citizenship: Portuguese
Sports Type: Football
Salary: $64 million
Net Worth: $500 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is a forward for Manchester United in the Premier League and the captain of the Portugal national team. He has won five Ballon d’Or trophies and four European Golden Shoes, the most by a European player.
He has won 32 trophies, including seven league championships, five UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA European Championship, and one UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo owns numerous records, like the most appearances, goals scored in the European Championship, etc. He is one of the few players in the country and club’s history to participate in over 1,100 professional games and score over 800 official senior career goals.
Age: 34 years
Citizenship: Argentine, Spanish
Sports Type: Football
Salary: $41 million
Net Worth: $400 million
Messi has won FIFA’s Player of the Year award six times and the European Golden Shoe for top scorer on the continent, a record for each accolade. In January 2021, a contract leak revealed that Messi was earning far more at FC Barcelona than anticipated; the contract was slated to expire in June 2021.
According to the leaked contract, Messi could earn up to $165 million per year in salary and incentives, an unheard-of figure in team sports. In 2019, he established his own clothing line and opened his first retail store in Barcelona, the Messi Store. He also has a long-term contract with Adidas. In addition, the World Health Organization chose Messi in March 2020 to lead a global campaign to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Age: 33 years
Citizenship: English, Irish
Sports Type: Mixed Martial Art
Salary: $37 million
Net Worth: $200 Million
Conor Anthony McGregor is a mixed martial artist from Ireland. He is a former featherweight and lightweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Also, he is a former featherweight and lightweight champion of the Cage Warriors. He is currently rated #9 in the UFC lightweight rankings as of July 19, 2021.
He has headlined five of the six highest-selling UFC pay-per-view events, making him the most popular PPV draw in MMA history. In North America, his boxing battle with Mayweather generated 4.3 million PPV sales, the second-highest in combat sports history. In addition, Forbes named McGregor the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2021, with a reported $180 million in earnings. He was again on the list in 2018, coming in fourth place with a reported income of $99 million.
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FAQs
Who are the highest-paid athletes in the world 2022? ›
- Lionel Messi – Football – $A190m.
- LeBron James – Basketball – $A178m. ...
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Football – $A169m. ...
- Neymar – Football – $A139m. ...
- Stephen Curry – Basketball – $A136m. ...
- Kevin Durant – Basketball – $A136m. ...
- Roger Federer – Tennis – $A132m. ...
The NFL pays out the highest amount of total salaries in the world with a whopping collective of $6.7 million in 2022! This is shared among all 1,486 players in the NFL making the overall average salary for a player in the NFL just over $4.5 million.
Who is the world's most paid athlete? ›- Who Are The World's Highest-Paid Athletes? ...
- Cristiano Ronaldo Is Worth $200 Million. ...
- Kylian Mbappé - $110 million. ...
- Phil Mickelson - $102 Million. ...
- Canelo Alvarez - $73 Million. ...
- Stephen Curry - $54 Million. ...
- Russell Wilson - $48.5 Million. ...
- Max Scherzer/Justin Verlander - $43.3 Million.
1.Lionel Messi
With earnings of $130 million, including $55 million from endorsements, Messi topped the list of the 10 highest-paid athletes for the 12-month period that began on May 1, 2023.
Naomi Osaka once again tops the list of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, bringing in $51.1 million in 2022, according to Forbes. She's followed by Serena Williams, who earned $41.3 million.
What is the highest paid job? ›- The highest paying jobs in the U.S. are all in medicine, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Chief executives and airline pilots are also among the highest paid professions.
1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) This post comes with a lucrative salary and high authority, with an overall employment rate supposed to show an average rise of 8% between 2020 and 2030.
What is the richest sport in the world? ›What is the richest sport in the world 2022? As one of the top three popular games globally, Basketball is also the wealthiest sport, with a global market value of $90 billion. Its popularity has crossed over 2 to 2.5 billion fans worldwide.
Who is richest player in the world? ›Messi first became the world's highest-paid athlete on Forbes' list in 2019. He topped the list again in 2022 with total earnings of USD 130 million.
Who is the highest paid NFL player? ›The Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers leads the list, at $50.3 million per year. The Denver Broncos' Russell Wilson is second, at $49 million per season, with the Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray at $46.1 million.
What is the highest yearly salary in sports? ›
| Name, Organization, Sport | Average per Year |
|---|---|
| LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Basketball | $38,328,212 |
| James Harden, Houston Rockets → Brooklyn Nets, Basketball | $38,000,000 |
| Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors, Basketball | $37,980,720 |
| Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees, Baseball | $36,000,000 |
Athletes make $51,729 per year on average, or $24.87 per hour, in the United States.
Who are the three billionaire athletes? ›But in terms of net worth, again, only three athletes have made it to the billionaires club. They are LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.
Who are the top 3 richest athletes? ›| Rank | Name | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | $915 million |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | $800 million |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | $750 million |
| 4 | LeBron James | $680 million |
Now Woods can add one more accolade to his trophy case: the first athlete to earn $1 billion. Our calculations show that the $10 million bonus Woods earned winning this year's FedEx Cup title nudged him over the $1 billion mark in career earnings.
Who was the first female athlete to earn $100000? ›In 1971, King became the first female athlete to earn over $100,000 in a single season. Still, when she won the U.S. Open in 1972, King received $15,000 less than the male champion.
Who is the richest female college athletes? ›Olivia Dunne, LSU gymnastics
On3 has her as the top-earning female college athlete, with a valuation at $2.6 million. In fact, Dunne's valuation has her as the No. 6 earner for all athletes, according to On3.
When comparing career prize money totals as of May 2021, Serena Williams, the highest-paid female, earned $94,253,246—which is 36.35 percent less than Novak Djokovic, the highest-paid male, who earned $148,092,073.
What jobs pay $1 million a year? ›- Investment banker.
- Certified public accountant.
- Entrepreneur.
- Day trader.
- Real estate agent.
- Engineer.
- Lawyer.
- Actuary.
- Cardiologist. $353,970.
- Anesthesiologist. $331,190.
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. $311,460.
- Emergency Medicine Physician. $310,640.
- Orthopedic Surgeon, Except Pediatric. $306,220.
- Dermatologist. $302,740.
- Radiologist. $301,720.
- Surgeon, All Other. $297,800.
What is the #1 best job? ›
- #1. Software Developer.
- #2. Nurse Practitioner.
- #3. Medical and Health Services Manager.
- Food-Preparation Workers. ...
- Gambling Dealers. ...
- Gambling Change Persons and Booth Cashiers. ...
- Parking Lot Attendants. ...
- Non-Farm Animal Caretakers. ...
- Maids and Housekeepers. ...
- Entertainment Attendants and Related Workers. ...
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders.
- Dental Hygienist.
- Physical Therapist.
- Radiation Therapist.
- Optometrist.
- Human Resources Manager.
Ans. Football, Tennis, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Ice Hockey, Golf and motor sports are among the richest sports in the world. With a net worth of about $600 billion, football is the richest sport on the planet and is one of the most popular sports in the United States, with between 390 and 410 million fans worldwide.
What sport do rich people play? ›Aside from golf, tennis makes a great argument for being the most widespread and well-known sport for rich people. It can technically be played as a single sport or with a partner, but it is recognized as being an individual sport in many senses.
Which club is the richest club in the world? ›Manchester City have retained their status as the world's richest football club, according to the latest edition of the Deloitte Football Money League, which underlines the dominance of the Premier League.
Which football player is a billionaire? ›Messi first became the world's highest-paid athlete on Forbes' list in 2019. He topped the list again in 2022 with total earnings of USD 130 million. The Argentine is one of the six billionaire athletes in the world today, with Forbes valuing the total earnings in his career at USD 1.15 billion.
Who is the 2nd billionaire footballer? ›Lionel Messi recently became only the second-ever billionaire footballer. The Barcelona captain is the youngest player to ever achieve this feat after Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo was the first footballer to do it last year.
How much do NFL refs make? ›The NFL won't disclose how much money their referees make, but based on the expired collective bargaining agreement from 2019, officials made an average of $201,000 per year, according to Money.com. That accounts for all officials that appear on the field, which means the head referees for games could make even more.
Who is the top 5 highest paid NFL player? ›- Aaron Rodgers. GB, QB. $59,515,000.
- Deshaun Watson. CLE, QB. $46,000,000.
- Patrick Mahomes. KC, QB. $40,450,000.
- Kyler Murray. ARI, QB. $39,000,000.
- Dak Prescott. DAL, QB. $31,000,000.
How many billionaire athletes are there? ›
Tiger Woods has officially joined LeBron James and Michael Jordan as one of only three billionaire athletes in the world.
Do athletes get paid weekly? ›NFL teams pay their players weekly during the 18-week season. Each of the league's 32 teams plays 17 games during 18 weeks with one "bye" week off. Salaries usually include conditions that can affect payments, such as whether they miss games due to injury.
How much do doctors make? ›The average Doctor salary in UAE is AED 16,500 per month. Highest salary of Doctor in UAE is AED 29,000 and lowest salary is AED 3,500. This is based on 11 Doctors located in the UAE who have recently registered with GulfTalent. Latest vacancies can be found on Doctor jobs in UAE.
How many hours does an athlete work? ›Work Environment
Athletes and sports competitors may work irregular schedules, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. They typically work more than 40 hours per week for several months during their particular sports season. They frequently work outside, so they may be exposed to all weather conditions.
The deal makes Rodgers the highest paid NFL player of all time. The #Packers and MVP QB Aaron Rodgers have agreed to terms on a 4-year, $200M deal that makes him the highest paid player in NFL history, sources say.
What athlete has the richest contract? ›| Rank | Name | Length of contract |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | 4 years (2017–2021) |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 2.5 years (2023–2025) |
| 3 | Patrick Mahomes‡ | 10 years (2020–2031) |
| 4 | Mike Trout | 12 years (2019–2030) |
The NFL's First 100 Million Dollar Man. On March 1, 2001, Brett Favre signed a "lifetime" contract extension, a 10-year deal worth $100 million with the Green Bay Packers.
Who is the world highest salary person 2022? ›Elon Musk is the highest paid CEO in the world in 2022. The SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO gets over $6.7 billion in annual compensation. SpaceX creates rockets while Tesla makes electric cars. He also co-founded the electronic payment firm PayPal.
Who is the highest paid Olympic athlete 2022? ›Highest-paid athletes of Forbes 2022
Osaka took the top spot for the third year in a row, with $51.1 million in profits in 2022. Olympic skier Eileen Gu came in third ($20.1 million) while superstar Serena Williams came in second ($41.3 million in earnings).
The highest-paid model in 2022 is Kendall Jenner and this is the second time she has come to snatch the tag as she was also the richest model in 2021.
Who is the best athlete in the world 2022? ›
World Athletics Awards 2022: Sydney McLaughlin, Mondo Duplantis win prestigious Athlete of the Year honours. American 400m hurdles star Sydney McLaughlin and World and Olympic pole vault champion Mondo Duplantis were named the female and male Athletes of the Year, respectively, by World Athletics Monday (5 December).
Which job has highest salary in the world? ›- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ...
- Medical Professionals. ...
- Corporate Lawyer. ...
- Investment Banker. ...
- Data Scientist. ...
- Project Manager. ...
- Senior Software Engineer. ...
- Web Developers.
| Rank | Occupation | 2021 Median Wages |
|---|---|---|
| Employment column two Annual | ||
| 1 | Anesthesiologists | $208,000+ |
| 1 | Cardiologists | $208,000+ |
| 1 | Dermatologists | $208,000+ |
The worldwide highest income is earned in Monaco. The smallest budget per capita exists in Afghanistan. In our comparison over 69 countries, the USA comes 7th with an average income of 70,930 USD. The average income is calculated by gross national income and population.
Who is the highest paid athlete at the Olympics? ›| Characteristic | Income in million U.S. dollars |
|---|---|
| Kevin Durant (United States - Basketball) | 75 |
| Naomi Osaka (Japan - Tennis) | 60 |
| Damian Lillard (United States - Basketball) | 40.5 |
| Novak Djokovic (Serbia - Tennis) | 34.5 |
Not only the greatest swimmer, with the highest 28 medals in Olympics, Michael Phelps is by far the most successful Olympian of all time. His successful Olympic career along with business ventures has made Phelps one of the richest Olympians of the world. His current net worth stands approximately at $100 million.
Which Olympian has the most money? ›- 1 / 10. Cristiano Ronaldo. Estimated net worth: $500 million. ...
- 2 / 10. Magic Johnson. Estimated net worth: $600 million. ...
- 3 / 10. LeBron James. ...
- 4 / 10. Albert II, Prince of Monaco. ...
- 5 / 10. Anna Kasprzak. ...
- 6 / 10. Ion Tiriac. ...
- 7 / 10. Michael Jordan. ...
- 8 / 10. Tyler Winklevoss.
The Top Model of the World is an international search for the ultimate model. The event started in 1993 in Miami, organised by the Globana Group. It is now owned and managed by the World Beauty Organization. The current Top Model of the World for 2023 is Mariana Macias from Mexico.
Who is No 1 female model in the world? ›Kendall Jenner is the top model in the World. Kendall Jenner is an American Mannequin. She is also a U.S gold medalist as Decathlon winner.
Who won Model of the Year 2022? ›Model Bella Hadid — who recently made headlines when a dress was sprayed onto her body during Paris Fashion Week — scooped up the highly anticipated Model of the Year prize, presented by fellow model Ashley Graham.
Who is the most loved athlete? ›
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most widely followed athlete in the world. The Portuguese icon has won five Ballon d'Or awards. While the Lionel Messi-Ronaldo debate over who the GOAT of football might be might never end, there is no doubt over who the most popular one is. Ronaldo is the most followed individual on Instagram.
Who is the best living athlete? ›- Tom Brady (742 points) ...
- Simone Biles (740 points) ...
- Usain Bolt (654 points) ...
- Mike Trout (610 points) ...
- Steph Curry (571 points) ...
- Lionel Messi (570 points) ...
- Michael Phelps (541 points) ...
- Novak Djokovic (479 points)
Ronaldo is 2022's most popular athlete.