The Richest Athletes in The World: Latest Updates and Net Worth

In the modern sports economy, the richest athletes are those who turn elite performance into enduring businesses. Equity stakes, lifetime licensing deals, media companies, and team ownership often dwarf prize money over time. This page tracks the athletes with the highest verified net worth and explains how their fortunes were built.

At a glance: confirmed athlete billionaires (2025)

• Michael Jordan — estimated $3B+ through Jordan Brand royalties, team stake sales, and long-running endorsements (Forbes).
• Magic Johnson — about $1.6B, driven by stakes across insurance, real estate, and multiple pro teams (Forbes).
• Tiger Woods — roughly $1.3B, sustained by decades of blue-chip endorsements and golf-adjacent ventures (Forbes).
• LeBron James — about $1.2B, combining media holdings, equity deals, and a lifetime Nike contract (Forbes).
• Roger Federer — newly minted billionaire in 2025, buoyed by his stake in On Running and premium endorsements (Forbes).

Note: Annual earnings lists are not the same as net worth. For context on who made the most money this year, see the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2025 ranking (Forbes). Net worth looks at assets minus liabilities today.

How we estimate net worth (and why numbers differ)

• We prioritize verifiable sources: billionaire lists and profiles, team sale filings, brand licensing disclosures, and major business press.
• We triangulate reported stakes, sale proceeds, royalties, real estate, and known liabilities, then present conservative point estimates or ranges when appropriate.
• Private holdings are often opaque. Where no reliable valuation exists, we avoid hard numbers and provide earnings or ownership context instead.
• Figures change with new deals, public filings, market moves, and currency shifts. We refresh when credible updates appear.

What this list includes

• Athletes whose primary public identity is sport, including retired stars.
• Fortunes where a clear line of evidence exists for major assets or business stakes.
• Brief notes on how each athlete built wealth: endorsements, licensing, equity, media companies, or team ownership.

Top 10 Richest Athletes In The World

Below you’ll find this year’s top ten, ordered by best-available net worth evidence. Billionaire athletes lead the list; below them are elite earners with substantial but non-audited fortunes. Profiles reflect public information and will be updated as new valuations are reported.

10. Manny Pacquiao — Estimated net worth: ~$220 million (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Pacquiao is boxing’s only eight-division champion and one of pay-per-view’s biggest draws. The 2015 fight with Mayweather generated about $600 million in event revenue, and career-earnings reporting during his peak supports a low-to-mid $200 million estimate (Forbes on the $600M event, Forbes on career earnings).
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Wealth drivers: Mega purses, global endorsements, long-running popularity.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Top 10 Richest Boxers in the World.

9. David Beckham — Estimated net worth: mid-hundreds of millions (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Beckham’s brand company was partly sold in 2022 when Authentic Brands Group bought 55 percent of DB Ventures for about $269–271 million. Company filings later showed £28 million in 2024 dividends, and his Inter Miami stake adds upside (Bloomberg, Front Office Sports, The Guardian).

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Wealth drivers: Brand licensing with ABG, Inter Miami equity, premium endorsements.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: The Richest Celebrity Families in 2025, David Beckham Net Worth 2025.

8. Floyd Mayweather — Estimated net worth: high nine figures (range, as of Aug 22, 2025)

Mayweather’s promoter-first model captured unmatched PPV upside. His 2017 McGregor bout paid about $275 million, and the Pacquiao fight produced a $600 million night for boxing (Forbes on McGregor payday, Forbes on the $600M event).

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Wealth drivers: Promoter economics, record PPV sales, exhibitions, licensing.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Top 10 Richest Boxers in the World.

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7. Lionel Messi — Estimated net worth: high hundreds of millions (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Messi stays among the world’s top earners, bringing in about $135 million in 2025. His Inter Miami deal includes reported revenue participation tied to Apple’s MLS Season Pass, alongside long-term Adidas income (Forbes 2025 list, ESPN explainer).‍

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Wealth drivers: Club compensation, Adidas, Apple/MLS revenue share, global sponsors.
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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Lionel Messi Net Worth 2025, Highest Paid Soccer Players in 2025, FC Barcelona Net Worth 2025.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo — Estimated net worth: high hundreds of millions (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Ronaldo is the top earner in 2025 at about $275 million, driven by Al Nassr compensation and global sponsorships, which supports a high nine-figure personal fortune (Forbes 2025 list hub, 2025 write-up).

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Wealth drivers: Club salary and bonuses, headline endorsements, CR7 consumer brands.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth 2025, Most Famous Person in the World.

5. Roger Federer — Estimated net worth: ~$1.1 billion (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Federer joined the billionaire ranks in August 2025, powered by his equity stake in On Holding and long-term premium endorsements (Forbes news).

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Wealth drivers: On Running equity, luxury sponsor roster, global appeal.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Richest Tennis Players 2025, 10 Richest Female Tennis Players.

4. LeBron James — Estimated net worth: ~$1.2 billion (as of Aug 22, 2025)

LeBron is a rare active-era athlete billionaire. Alongside NBA income, he owns media and consumer-brand equity and has a lifetime Nike contract that supports long-term cash flow (ESPN on lifetime deal, Forbes profile).‍

Wealth drivers: Media holdings, equity stakes, lifetime‑term endorsements.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: The Richest NBA Players in 2025, Top 10 Highest-Paid NBA Players, LeBron James: His Impact on Sports, Business, and Marketing.

3. Tiger Woods — Estimated net worth: ~$1.3 billion (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Woods remains in the athlete-billionaire tier with diversified golf-adjacent businesses and long-running blue-chip endorsements. He also launched the Sun Day Red apparel line with TaylorMade in 2024 (Forbes profile, ESPN on apparel launch).

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Wealth drivers: Endorsements and licensing, course design, events, brand ventures.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Top 10 Richest Golfers in 2025, Tiger Woods Net Worth 2025, Most Exclusive Golf and Country Clubs in the US.

2. Magic Johnson — Estimated net worth: ~$1.5–1.6 billion (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Johnson’s portfolio spans insurance, real estate, and team-ownership stakes in the Dodgers, LA Sparks, LAFC, and the Washington Commanders. NFL owners approved the Commanders sale at $6.05 billion, where Johnson is a limited partner (ESPN, Forbes profile).

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Wealth drivers: Diversified private equity, multiple pro-team stakes, operating companies.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: The Richest NBA Players in 2025.

1. Michael Jordan — Estimated net worth: $3B+ (as of Aug 22, 2025)

Jordan remains the richest athlete on record. His wealth is led by Jordan Brand royalties and the 2023 sale of his majority Hornets stake at a valuation around $3 billion, with a minority stake retained (NBA release, Forbes profile).‍

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Wealth drivers: Perpetual licensing royalties, team-stake monetization, elite sponsor deals.

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Related Brand Vision Insights reads: Michael Jordan Net Worth 2025, Michael Jordan Marketing Strategy 2025 Update, The Richest NBA Players in 2025.

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The richest athletes do more than win. They build brands, own equity, and invest in teams and companies. Salaries and prize money start the story. Royalties, licensing, media, and ownership grow it. Figures can change as new deals close and filings are released. We will refresh the list when credible updates appear.

FAQ

Who is the richest athlete right now? ‍

Michael Jordan leads with an estimated net worth above $3 billion. His wealth comes from Jordan Brand royalties and the sale of his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets. See his Forbes profile and the NBA release on the Hornets sale.

Which athletes are billionaires today? ‍

As of August 22, 2025, the commonly cited group includes Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, and Roger Federer. Check their real‑time pages here: Jordan, Johnson, Woods, James, Federer.

What is the difference between earnings and net worth? ‍

Earnings show what an athlete made in a year from salary, winnings, and endorsements. Net worth is assets minus liabilities at a point in time. Annual earnings lists, like the Forbes Highest‑Paid Athletes, do not equal net worth.

Why do net worth numbers differ across websites? ‍

Private holdings and market moves make exact numbers hard to verify. We anchor our ranges to documented events such as team sales, equity stakes, and long‑term contracts, and we avoid thin aggregators when better sources exist.

How often do you update this list? ‍

We review after material events. Examples include team transactions, major equity or brand deals, new filings, and league announcements. We also schedule periodic checks to keep the page current.

Editorial standards and updates

• We use verifiable sources: league or team announcements, company filings, major business media, and established wealth tracking profiles.
• We separate earnings from net worth and present conservative ranges when exact valuations are not public.
• Currency is USD unless noted. Figures are current as of Aug 22, 2025.
• If you see a credible update, contact us with the link and we will review.

Keep reading on Brand Vision

• The Richest NBA Players in 2025
• Top 10 Richest Boxers in the World
• Richest Tennis Players 2025
• Lionel Messi Net Worth 2025
• Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth 2025
• Tiger Woods Net Worth 2025

Sources

• The World’s 10 Highest‑Paid Athletes 2025 (Forbes)
• Forbes Athletes List Hub (Forbes)
• Michael Jordan joins the Forbes 400 at about $3B (Forbes) and NBA release confirming Hornets sale (NBA)
• Magic Johnson real‑time profile (Forbes) and NFL owners approve $6.05B Commanders sale (ESPN)
• Tiger Woods real‑time profile (Forbes) and Sun Day Red apparel line with TaylorMade (ESPN)
• LeBron James lifetime Nike deal (ESPN) and LeBron real‑time profile (Forbes)
• Roger Federer is now a billionaire (Forbes)
• Cristiano Ronaldo 2025 earnings (Forbes)
• Lionel Messi 2025 earnings (Forbes) and Apple MLS Season Pass revenue context (WSJ)
• Mayweather $275M McGregor payday (Forbes) and Mayweather–Pacquiao $600M event (Forbes)
• Authentic Brands buys 55 percent of DB Ventures (Front Office Sports), deal value coverage (Bloomberg), and 2024 dividends (The Guardian)