High Earners in Sport
In 2024, Rory McIlroy, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Tyson Fury ranked among the world’s highest-paid athletes, as reported by Sportico in February 2025. Notably, only one Australian and no female athletes made the top 100 list, which evaluates both on-field earnings and lucrative endorsement deals.
The list reveals the dominance of a select few sports, with the concept of "sportswashing"—the practice of enhancing a nation’s image through sports—emerging as a recurring theme, particularly linked to Middle Eastern countries, like Saudi Arabia.
Wide World of Sports has shared Sportico’s top 30 athletes, including the sole Australian representative, while presenting the figures in Australian dollars as per the exchange rates on February 14, 2025.
Join us as we countdown the 30 highest-paid athletes in the world!