Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid player set to feature at the 2026 World Cup, according to figures highlighted ahead of the tournament in North America.
The competition, which will run from 11 June to 19 July across the United States, Mexico and Canada, will mark the first World Cup hosted in the region since the 1994 tournament in the United States.
The 2026 edition will also be the first to feature 48 national teams after the expansion approved by FIFA.
Attention has already turned toward the tournament’s biggest stars, with financial figures once again underlining the growing economic power of elite footballers and clubs across Europe, the Middle East and North America.
According to figures published by the English website GiveMeSport, Ronaldo comfortably tops the earnings chart after his move to Al Nassr FC in 2023.
The Portugal captain reportedly earns £194m per year following his transfer to Saudi Arabia after leaving Manchester United FC by mutual agreement.
The move significantly increased Ronaldo’s earnings and placed him ahead of long-time rival Lionel Messi, who ranks second on the list.
Messi, now captain of Inter Miami CF, reportedly earns £96.9m annually.
The rankings also highlighted the continued financial influence of clubs willing to invest heavily in player salaries, with the report suggesting that major spending often translates into domestic and continental success.
The article pointed to clubs such as FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain FC as examples of teams that have dominated domestically while offering some of the largest wage packages in football.
In third place on the list is Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid CF, with reported yearly earnings of £71m.
He is followed by Erling Haaland of Manchester City FC, whose annual salary was estimated at £58.1m.
Brazilian forward Neymar occupies fifth place with reported earnings of £44.7m, while fellow Brazilian Vinícius Júnior sits sixth on £43.2m.
The list also features strong Arab representation through Egyptian captain Mohamed Salah and Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez.
Salah, who starred for Liverpool FC during one of the club’s most successful modern periods, ranks seventh with reported annual earnings of £40.3m.
Mahrez, now playing for Al Ahli Saudi FC, follows closely behind in eighth place on £39.9m per year.
Senegal captain Sadio Mané, another player currently competing in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, occupies ninth position with estimated earnings of £37.3m.
The top 10 is completed by England captain Harry Kane, who currently plays for Bayern Munich and reportedly earns £32.2m annually.
Highest-paid players at the 2026 World Cup
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – £194m
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – £96.9m
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – £71m
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – £58.1m
- Neymar (Brazil) – £44.7m
- Vinícius Júnior (Brazil) – £43.2m
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – £40.3m
- Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – £39.9m
- Sadio Mané (Senegal) – £37.3m
- Harry Kane (England) – £32.2m
