Mahela Jayawardene 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. 48-year-old Mahela Jayawardene has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid athletes for 2026 with an estimated $46 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 22/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Mahela Jayawardene tops annual list of highest-paid athletes

In 2023 it looked like the athlete’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Saturday (March 21) that Jayawardene is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $46 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $20 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 Sri Lankan athlete has an estimated net worth of $145 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 Jayawardene Burger” chain) in Colombo, a Football Team (the “Colombo Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderjayawardene - Sri Lanka), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Mahela) and a fashion line called “Mahela Jayawardene Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Mahela 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