Ranked: The highest-paid sports in the world

When it comes to professional sports, the playing field isn’t just about competition – it’s also about the staggering, and sometimes surprisingly low, sums of money earned by athletes.

From massive team payrolls to individual star contracts, the financial dynamics of the sports world have reached unprecedented heights. But which sports pay the most, and why? All figures in USD except where noted.

Average Salary: $11.9 million per year Total League Payroll: Over $4.5 billion annually

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The NBA’s player salaries are buoyed by lucrative TV deals and global popularity. With only 15 players per roster across 30 teams, the league can afford higher averages. Stars like Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant have contracts exceeding $50 million per year in 2024, as Sports Illustrated reported.

Average Salary: $5 million per year Total League Payroll: Around $4 billion annually

MLB offers long-term contracts, with many star players securing deals worth over $300 million across a decade. The league supports 30 teams with larger rosters than the NBA, but the scale of its revenue allows consistent high payouts.

Average Salary: $4.7 million per year (approximately £3.67 million or €4.37 million) Total League Payroll (EPL): Over $2.44 billion annually (approximately £1.9 billion or €2.27 billion).

Football's/soccer's worldwide fanbase generates incredible revenue streams through broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales. The English Premier League (EPL) leads in payrolls, while La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1 are close behind.

It has to be mentioned that this is also the discipline that boasts the richest contract in history, with Cristiano Ronaldo's $220 million (approximately £171.72 million or €204.75 million) annual contract with Saudi Pro League team Al-Nassr.

Average Salary: $2.8 million per year Total League Payroll: Approximately $10.5 billion annually

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The NFL pays more in total salaries than any other league due to its massive roster sizes (53 players per team across 32 teams). Quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes command contracts exceeding $50 million annually, but many players earn the league minimum, around $700k, as Diario AS reports.

Average Salary: $3.5 million per year Total League Payroll: Around $2.5 billion annually

The NHL’s salaries are driven by its stronghold in North America, but this smaller market leads to less lucrative broadcasting deals compared to basketball or soccer.s. Top players, such as Connor McDavid, earn over $11 million annually from their contract, according to Forbes, but a majority earn closer to the league average​

Average Earnings (Top 100): $1.9 million per year Total Player Prize Money (ATP/WTA): $375 million annually

Unlike team sports, tennis players rely on tournament winnings and endorsements. While superstars like Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz can earn tens of millions, lower-ranked players often struggle to cover travel and coaching expenses, making it one of the sports with the biggest pay disparity.

Average Earnings (Top 250): $1.8 million per year Total Prize Pool (PGA + LIV Golf): Over $700 million annually

Golf’s financial revolution has been spearheaded by LIV Golf, which offered massive contracts to top players like Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson, who both earn figures in the hundreds of millions, according to Bleacher Report. The PGA Tour still dominates overall player payouts, but LIV has shifted the dynamics significantly​

Average Salary: $1 million–$12 million per year. Total League Payroll: Estimated $200 million annually (excluding endorsements)

F1 drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen rank among the highest-paid athletes globally, with both making around $40 million a year, according to Bleacher Report. While drivers like Logan Sargeant and Yuki Tsunoda make around $1 million per year. The sport’s total payroll is relatively small due to its limited grid size of 20 drivers per season.

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