Quite a few of the highest-paid players at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are dollar millionaires. Not a surprise, since football is one of the richest sports in the world. The financial side of the sport is as glorious as the achievements of the players on the field. Indeed, football is an industry worth billions of dollars, an ironic status for a sport that began as a working-man’s game.
Football’s meteoric rise as a money-minting juggernaut can be understood from the English Premier League (EPL) alone. At the turn of the 21st century, in the 2000-01 season, the world’s richest club football league saw expenditures of EUR 488 million (USD 559 million / MYR 2.3 billion) in transfers against an income of EUR 327 million (USD 375 million / MYR 1.5 billion). In the 2025-26 season, transfer expenses amounted to EUR 4.05 billion (USD 4.6 billion / MYR 18.8 billion) against an income of EUR 2.4 billion (USD 2.75 billion / MYR 11.28 billion). The average income per player in the league has risen from EUR 900,000 (USD 1 million / MYR 4 million) to EUR 5.8 million (USD 6.6 million / MYR 27 million) in the same period.
Frankly, a high number of footballers are millionaires now. In fact, the 2026 edition of the prestigious tournament is the first featuring billionaire players, half the total number of billionaire athletes active in any sport today. Some of the players will go home richer, given that the prize pool for the tournament is USD 871 million (MYR 3.5 billion) — the highest ever.
This is why the earnings of the 11 names in Forbes’ list of the highest-paid players at the FIFA World Cup 2026 should not surprise anyone. Each of them is a powerhouse of talent. They draw high salaries from their clubs, and, due to their on-field success, often earn as much from endorsements or other related off-field income. Forbes’ list takes into account their earnings for the last 12 months, including the 2025-26 club soccer season.
FIFA World Cup 2026 rich list: These are the highest-paid players at the tournament
11. Neymar
View this post on Instagram
Earnings: USD 38 million (MYR 155 million)
The Brazilian No.10 finally returned to represent his country after nursing a calf injury, which forced him out of his side’s first two World Cup matches in the 2026 edition. Even though Brazil under manager Carlo Ancelotti has the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Raphinha, Neymar’s return boosts Seleção’s chances in the knockout stages. The Santos star has long been one of the best attackers in world football, a status that translated into high salaries and major endorsements. According to Forbes, USD 28 million (MYR 114 million) of his total earnings in the last 12 months have come from endorsements and other off-field income.
10. Harry Kane
Earnings: USD 41 million (MYR 168 million)
England has sent one of its best squads to the 2026 World Cup. A lot, however, is riding on Harry Kane, the English skipper who is widely considered one of the best strikers of his generation. Kane has already shown his incredible dominance on the World Cup field, with two goals in his country’s opening match against Croatia, which further cemented his status as England’s all-time top scorer. He currently earns around EUR 400,000 per week (around USD 450,000 / MYR 1.8 million) as salary at Bayern Munich, which might go up in the upcoming season in August.
9. Lamine Yamal
Earnings: USD 43 million (MYR 176 million)
The youngest to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or, 18-year-old Yamal is widely hailed as one of the greatest footballers of his generation. The Barcelona winger holds the key to Spain’s chances at the FIFA World Cup 2026, but according to Spanish newspaper AS, the La Liga club has set strict conditions on his time on the field, at least for the first two matches, following an injury. His off-field earnings amounted to USD 10 million (MYR 41 million) in the last 12 months, but expect the figure to move north in the next 12. He is the face of World Cup campaigns for Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Visa and Powerade, and is also the newest global ambassador of American Eagle.
8. Jude Bellingham
View this post on Instagram
Earnings: USD 44 million (MYR 180 million)
If Kane is the spear’s tip of the English attack, Bellingham is its shaft. The midfielder was only 19 years old when he was transferred from Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund to La Liga’s Real Madrid for more than EUR 100 million (USD 114 million / MYR 467 million) in 2023. He is one of the most dependable players in the squad, and he proved it in the Three Lions’ match against Croatia with a brilliantly placed shot from the right to turn the game in England’s favour immediately after half-time.
7. Sadio Mané
Earnings: USD 54 million (MYR 221 million)
Senegal’s great Sadio Mané is one of only two African players in Forbes’ list of the highest-paid players at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The left winger plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Almost all of Mané’s earnings come from his Al-Nassr contract, with a weekly salary exceeding GBP 650,000 (USD 862,647 / MYR 3.5 million). But his three-year contract is reportedly set to expire by the end of June. Where he heads from there will play a key role in his financial standing. Nevertheless, he will always be loved by football fans for being one of the most charitable players in the world.
6. Mohamed Salah
Earnings: USD 55 million (MYR 225 million)
The ‘Egyptian King’ is the other African footballer on Forbes’ list. Salah spent nine seasons with EPL side Liverpool before playing his final match in May 2026. Though he is now a free agent, nothing can take away his numerous records and accolades with the Reds that cemented his place as one of the greatest wingers of all time. For now, his on-field earnings stand at USD 35 million (USD 143 million).
5. Vinícius Júnior
View this post on Instagram
Earnings: USD 60 million (MYR 246 million)
The Real Madrid ace is the other key attacking asset in Brazil’s squad at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The winger ensured that the Seleção did not miss Neymar in the first two matches. During the game against Morocco, Vinícius Júnior saved Brazil’s honour with a stunner from the left side to level the scores after the Africans took the lead. In the second match, against Haiti, he starred with one goal and an assist in his side’s 3-0 win. And he scored two more in the third, which was against Scotland. That sharp acumen on the field is why he has multiple La Liga titles, among other honours. It is also the reason why he is a brand magnet. According to a report by AS, Vinícius Júnior has 14 endorsement deals, including PlayStation, Pepsi, Vivo, Dubai Tourism, Boss, Prada and Nike. The deals bring in USD 20 million (MYR 82 million) into his bank.
4. Erling Haaland
Earnings: USD 80 million (MYR 328 million)
There is no doubt that goal machine Erling Haaland is one of the greatest footballers of all time. On the field, the Norwegian striker towers over all. Off it, he continues to add more brands to his growing list of endorsements. He is so important to labels that there was a bidding war over the boots he would wear, which Nike won. And not just brands, clubs, too, have their eyes on the Manchester City superstar. Earlier in June, Spanish businessman Enrique Riquelme, who was one of the contenders in the 2026 Real Madrid CF presidential election, promised to sign Haaland over to the La Liga club if he won. Thankfully for Premier League fans, Riquelme lost. But this doesn’t mean that other top clubs won’t try to scout Haaland for a much higher pay than what he receives in the Premier League.
3. Kylian Mbappé
Earnings: USD 95 million (MYR 390 million)
Kylian Mbappé is aiming for a second World Cup title. There is a strong possibility he will, going by his performance in France’s first match at the tournament. But more importantly, the world is much more interested in the battle between Mbappé and Messi for the record for most goals at the World Cup. With a hat-trick in Argentina’s first match, Messi equalled Germany’s Miroslav Klose as the top goalscorer in World Cup tournaments. But the young French striker is only a couple of shots away despite playing three fewer tournaments than the Argentine great. If not in this World Cup, that record certainly belongs to the Les Bleus forward in the next edition. Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid, is one of the most sought-after faces for brands. Apart from endorsing Nike, Hublot, and EA Sports, he is the first wellness ambassador for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and brand ambassador and investor in French health insurance unicorn Alan.
2. Lionel Messi
Earnings: USD 140 million (MYR 574 million)
There is hardly anything left for Lionel Messi to achieve, but he is giving his all for a second World Cup title in his sixth appearance. If he does so, the likelihood of which is high, he will be the first player in history to win the title twice as captain. With a net worth of USD 1.1 billion (MYR 4.5 billion), the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is one of only two billionaire footballers in the world. That alone is proof of how incredibly successful he has been off the field as he has been on it. And did you know, he did all of it without ever landing a spot on the list of the highest transfer fees in history because he was always transferred as a free agent? Half of his earnings in the last 12 months came from endorsements, business income and other off-field income. The figure is the highest for any player on Forbes’ list. Among the brands sponsored by Messi are Adidas, Lowe’s and Michelob Ultra. He also owns hotels and has an option to own Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami, once his playing career with them is over.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo
View this post on Instagram
Earnings: USD 300 million (MYR 1.2 billion)
Cristiano Ronaldo might never see the most coveted trophy in football in his cabinet. The FIFA World Cup 2026 marks his last appearance at the tournament. He is already 41 years old and is the second-oldest player in the ongoing edition. But the Portugal forward will forever be one of the greatest players to have ever graced the Beautiful Game. With two goals in the match against Uzbekistan, Ronaldo became the first player in history to score in six World Cups. (That’s a record Messi can never touch.) Ronaldo has been the top-earning athlete for four straight years, according to Forbes’ estimates. Out of his USD 300 million income in the past 12 months, he earned USD 235 million (MYR 963 million) as on-field income. His total earnings exceed the combined earnings of the first six on this list.
(Hero image: Selección Argentina in English/@AFASeleccionEN via X; Erling Haaland/@ErlingHaaland via X; Kylian Mbappé/@KMbappe via X / Featured image: Cristiano Ronaldo/@Cristiano via X)
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
