Written by Omnia Hassan
The Egyptian star continued Mohamed Salah He cemented his position as one of the world's most prominent athletes, after becoming the only African representative on Forbes magazine's list of the 50 highest-paid athletes in the world for 2026.
The Liverpool star came in 47th place with total annual earnings of $55 million, an achievement that reflects his great sporting and commercial value on the global stage.
Salah’s solo presence underscores the size of the financial gap that African sport suffers from, despite the continent possessing a huge base of talents capable of competing in the biggest global tournaments.
Ronaldo continues financial dominance
At the top of the list, Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo continued his reign as the highest-earning athlete for the fourth year in a row, with earnings reaching nearly $300 million, supported by his huge contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr and his global commercial partnerships.
Ronaldo’s recent sporting successes in the Saudi League have also contributed to enhancing his marketing presence, coinciding with his approach to achieving a historic milestone of reaching 1000 goals during his professional career.
African origins, but under European flags
Despite the absence of African names from the top positions, the list includes a number of stars with African roots, most notably Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema, who are of African descent, but represent France internationally, which means their financial achievements are not officially counted in favor of the African continent.
In contrast, big stars like Sadio Mane and Achraf Hakimi were unable to enter the top fifty list, despite their huge contracts and their continued brilliance in European and Arab stadiums.
Salah's future transfer could change the equation
Salah's continued presence on the list of wealthy athletes comes amid widespread speculation about his future with Liverpool, especially with increasing talk of his possible departure after the end of the current European season.
Sports reports suggest that the Egyptian star's move to the Saudi League could give him a new financial boost, given the huge offers that Saudi clubs make to the world's top stars, which could raise his ranking in the Forbes lists in the future.
How can Africa regain its sporting prominence?
The list reflects a clear challenge facing African sport, as talent alone is no longer enough to reach the top of global revenues; rather, infrastructure, commercial sponsorship, and the strength of local leagues have become crucial factors in the economic production of stars.
Experts believe that developing sports academies, promoting local investment, and establishing strong competitions within the continent could give Africa a real opportunity to produce a new generation of athletes capable of competing financially and commercially at the global level.
