Israel Adesanya Highest-Paid Athlete in the World

It's been a rough year for the athlete, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 37-year-old Israel Adesanya has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid athletes for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 02/09/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Israel Adesanya tops annual list of highest-paid athletes

In 2024 it looked like the athlete’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Tuesday (September 1) that Adesanya is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between August 2025 and August 2026, a nearly $60 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The athlete has an estimated net worth of $275 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Adesanya Burger” chain) in Wellington, a Football Team (the “Lagos Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderadesanya - New Zealand), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Israel) and a fashion line called “Israel Adesanya Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Israel fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

© 2026 MediaMass All rights reserved. Do not reproduce (even with permission).

Celebrity Central