Nadia Comaneci Highest-Paid Athlete in the World

It's been a rough year for the athlete, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 64-year-old Nadia Comaneci has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid athletes for 2026 with an estimated $58 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 12/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Nadia Comaneci tops annual list of highest-paid athletes

In 2023 it looked like the athlete’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Saturday (April 11) that Comaneci is the highest-paid athlete in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between March 2025 and March 2026, a nearly $30 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 Romanian athlete has an estimated net worth of $185 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 Comaneci Burger” chain) in Bucharest, a Football Team (the “Onești Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondercomaneci - Romania), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Nadia) and a fashion line called “Nadia Comaneci Seduction”.

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

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