Lucy Li Highest-Paid Athlete in the World
- By Carol Kearney
- Washington
- Last updated on
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It's been a rough year for the athlete, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 23-year-old Lucy Li 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 21/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
Lucy Li tops annual list of highest-paid athletes
In 2024 it looked like the athlete’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (July 20) that Li is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between June 2025 and June 2026, a nearly $60 million lead over her 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 American athlete has an estimated net worth of $275 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Li Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “Stanford Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderli - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Lucy) and a fashion line called “Lucy Li Seduction”.
The ranking is significant for many Lucy fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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