The figures are out and the checks cashed. The best athletes in the world today, in 2025, are not only dominating the pitch, court, or course, but they are also building financial empires. Their earnings are beyond salaries and prize money. It is the new playbook of athlete wealth, and it takes the form of endorsements, streaming deals, brand ventures, and media ownership.
With mega-contract extensions, moves into entertainment, and geopolitical changes in the inputs of league funding, the financial climate in sports has shifted once more. It could be football players signing groundbreaking sponsorship deals in Saudi Arabia, NBA players pre-purchasing equity in media houses, or something less spectacular, but somehow, 2025 has been a milestone.
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Breaking Down the Multi-Million Athlete Economy
Check the 2025 top earners breakdown and their estimations in on-field earnings and off-field earnings. Any of the values are confirmed projections as of June 2025. That covers the modern income that has the servicing of contracts in endorsements in foreign countries, branding deal contracts, and investments in technology.
The ability of a celebrity athlete to make money through merchandising, communicating through social media with followers, brand partnerships, and even collaboration agreements is dependent upon fame.
One particularly lucrative space is the integration of athlete-driven branding into digital engagement platforms—such as fantasy leagues, streaming tie-ins, and even online casino game partnerships—where competitive identity meets interactive entertainment. These activations create immersive fan experiences that convert visibility into real economic value.
Athlete income sources continue to diversify across industries. Giannis is tied to six different commercial ventures—ranging from hydration tech to digital collectibles—adding more than $45 million to his annual haul.
Mbappé, for instance, inked a €35 million media + apparel equity deal with a Gulf-based brand in April. Giannis is tied to six different commercial ventures—ranging from hydration tech to digital collectibles—adding more than $45 million to his annual haul. And Ohtani’s bilingual brand power has doubled his 2023 endorsement figures.
Top 10 Highest Paid Athletes in 2025
The athletes listed below have not only dominated their respective sports but also mastered the business of fame and influence. Their earnings reflect an era where athletic excellence is just one part of the wealth equation—media ownership, equity stakes, and international endorsements now play an equally vital role.
| Rank | Athlete | Sport | Country | 2025 Total Earnings (USD) |
| 1 | Kylian Mbappé | Football | France | $138 million |
| 2 | Jon Rahm | Golf | Spain | $132 million |
| 3 | LeBron James | Basketball | USA | $125 million |
| 4 | Canelo Álvarez | Boxing | Mexico | $110 million |
| 5 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Football | Portugal | $108 million |
| 6 | Lionel Messi | Football | Argentina | $102 million |
| 7 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Basketball | Greece | $98 million |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | Formula 1 | Netherlands | $96 million |
| 9 | Neymar Jr. | Football | Brazil | $95 million |
| 10 | Shohei Ohtani | Baseball | Japan | $90 million |
Mbappé, for instance, inked a €35 million media + apparel equity deal with a Gulf-based brand in April. Giannis is tied to six different commercial ventures—ranging from hydration tech to digital collectibles—adding more than $45 million to his annual haul. Another emerging channel includes partnerships with platforms like Melbet, which in recent months have launched exclusive ambassador deals across Europe and Asia, blending athlete visibility with regulated betting exposure in a rapidly evolving digital space. And Ohtani’s bilingual brand power has doubled his 2023 endorsement figures.
5 athletes expanding into business ownership:
- LeBron James – Co-owner of a film studio + global fast-casual chain
- Cristiano Ronaldo – Fitness app founder and fragrance brand operator
- Jon Rahm – Majority investor in a renewable energy startup in Madrid
- Shohei Ohtani – Co-developer of an AI-based pitching analytics tool
- Max Verstappen – Backer of an F1 fan-token app for global streaming
These moves aren’t just side projects. In several cases, they represent the majority of the athlete’s income growth over the last 12 months.
Where the Money Goes: Geopolitics and Global Leagues
2025 saw a continued shift in where the biggest money comes from. Saudi Arabia remains a dominant player, having locked down contracts with multiple top-10 athletes. Their LIV Golf platform and Pro League clubs have rewritten salary expectations in both golf and football.
Meanwhile, Japanese and South Korean firms are investing in baseball and esports hybrids, blending team sponsorship with metaverse presence. American athletes are getting less from TV rights and more from co-producing digital docuseries on Netflix, Prime, and Apple TV+.
5 sectors fueling athlete income in 2025:
- Global streaming rights (e.g., F1 and NBA alternate feeds)
- AI-integrated training tech companies
- Athlete-branded mobile games and apps
- Decentralized fan tokens tied to performance
- Co-branded sustainable apparel lines
This shift has elevated the importance of athlete flexibility. The highest-paid are no longer those with just the best contracts, but those who bet on themselves across industries.
Athletes Building Legacy Foundations
An increasing number of elite athletes are now focusing on philanthropic and educational ventures to create a long-lasting impact with their earnings. This includes fostering talent in the younger generation, building climate consciousness, and including technology awareness. Just like their endorsement portfolios, these are sharply focused.
LeBron James’ I PROMISE School model is being expanded to multiple states in the U.S., while Messi launched a bilingual early learning platform in Argentina this year. Kylian Mbappé, Inspired By the KM Foundation, partnered with UNESCO in early 2025 to provide digital education in underserved communities of Francophone Africa.
These initiatives are not just for show; they have real operational costs associated. In other words, they are actual infrastructure projects. In many instances, enduring foundations have transformed into offshoots of sports personalities, influencing entire generations and changing the narrative around professional achievement past mere accolades.
Global Influence, Legacy Investments, and Media Control
In 2025, athletes have gone past simply endorsing products. They are now crafting stories, funding docuseries, launching podcasts, and even owning media outlets.
In March, Netflix released a four-part series about Neymar Jr’s dual career with Saudi football and his Brazilian social entrepreneur ventures. It broke into the global top 10 within 72 hours of release. That kind of exposure builds brand equity, which translates to financial value in the long run.
Jon Rahm’s appearance at the Madrid Climate-Tech Expo was also very calculated, as it did not have anything to do with sports, but linked him to a billion-dollar industry and related him to one of his own companies.
This is how the players are winning now. These are the players who are winning it—visibility into equity, regional fame into global deals, and personal narratives into scaled and monetized content.
The year 2025 marks a drastic change in the role of “athlete” as it is no longer distinct from entrepreneur, performer, or producer.” Those who adapt fastest and diversify their portfolio the most are pulling ahead not only in rankings, but also in wealth building, culture impact, and intergenerational wealth creation and cultural impact. Strategies such as these now shape the next wave of talent around the globe.