LeBron James and Lionel Messi are at the top of the list of the world highest-paid athletes for 2022, earning an estimated $120 million each
The top 100 earners are divided over only ten different sports. In the last 12 months, the top 100 earned an estimated $4.5 billion in pay, prize money, and sponsorships, which is 6% higher than the previous year’s top 100.
World Highest Paid Athletes By Sport 2022 Full List
The richest guy on the list comes from basketball, the richest sport on average, and it’s LeBron James, who is understandably raking in massive brand sponsorships but not making nearly as much money as he could. The 37-year-old continues to defy preconceptions of what an athlete can achieve, racking up numbers on the scoreboard as well as in his bank account.
| 2022 Rank ▲ | Athlete | Team | Salary/Winnings | Endorsements | Total | 2021 Rank |
| 1 | LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers | $36.9M | $90M | $126.9M | 5 |
| 2 | Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain | $72M | $50M | $122M | 2 |
| 3 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | $60M | $55M | $115M | 3 |
| 4 | Neymar | Paris Saint-Germain | $65M | $38M | $103M | 6 |
| 5 | Canelo Álvarez | $84M | $5M | $89M | 12 | |
| 6 | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | $41.2M | $45M | $86.2M | 10 |
| 7 | Kevin Durant | Brooklyn Nets | $37.9M | $48M | $85.9M | 9 |
| 8 | Roger Federer | $724K | $85M | $85.7M | 7 | |
| 9 | James Harden | Philadelphia 76ers | $40M | $36M | $76M | 16 |
| 10 | Tiger Woods | $8.5M | $65M | $73.5M | 13 | |
Details:
Tennis comes in ninth on the list, with the great Roger Federer earning $85.7 million, primarily from sponsorships and brands, with the Swiss man having a plethora of luxury watch brands to pick from at home. Behind him on the list are football superstars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar Jr., all of whom make more than $100 million. Boxing’s greatest earner, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, comes in fifth with $89 million in earnings from donning the gloves.
Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are the only two female tennis players on the list. Golf ranks tenth, led by well-known athlete Tiger Woods, who is both the most recognizable and valuable name in the sport, earning $73.5 million.
QB Matthew Stafford, who represents American Football, has the 11th-highest earnings on the list after winning the Super Bowl in 2022 and receiving a hefty $60 million signing bonus for his new deal. Further down the list are Formula One’s Lewis Hamilton in 19th, the Notorious Conor McGregor for MMA in 22nd, baseball’s Mike Trout in 24th, and cricket’s Virat Kohli in 61st.