Jacky Ickx Highest-Paid Athlete in the World
- By Carol Kearney
- Brussels
- Last updated on
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It's been a rough year for the athlete, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 81-year-old Jacky Ickx has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid athletes for 2026 with an estimated $75 million in combined earnings.
UPDATE 12/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
Jacky Ickx 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 Sunday (October 11) that Ickx is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $75 million between September 2025 and September 2026, a nearly $40 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 Belgian athlete has an estimated net worth of $215 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 Ickx Burger” chain) in Brussels, a Football Team (the “Brussels Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderickx - Belgium), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Jacky) and a fashion line called “Jacky Ickx Seduction”.
The ranking is significant for many Jacky fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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