The 50 most marketable athletes in 2026 have been named and ranked, including some of the biggest names in the world.

In the modern world, being an athlete is no longer just about excelling in your own sport; it is also important to have commercial backing in order to reach all corners of the world.

Over the years, we have seen the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Simone Biles, and Lewis Hamilton dominate the sporting world, making them some of the biggest names in sports history.

In 2025, Hamilton was named the most marketable athlete on the planet, beating the likes of Biles, Ilona Maher, and Steph Curry.

Now, SportsPro, powered by NorthStar Solutions Group, has returned with a list of the 50 most marketable athletes for 2026, using an assessment model that brings three things together: the equity an athlete has built, the momentum behind it, and the room they still have to grow.

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Although we are only at the bottom of the list, some of the world’s biggest names already feature, including freshly crowned Ballon d’Or winners Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas.

Widely considered the greatest tennis player of all time, Novak Djokovic has been ranked 46th for 2026, with a marketability score of 60.55 out of 100.

Basketball stars Devin Booker, Jared McCain, and Cade Cunningham are joined by LA Rams star Myles Garrett, skateboarder Rayssa Leal, and UFC fighter Ilia Topuria.

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This next section of the list has been dominated by some of the world’s best cricket players, including the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Smriti Mandhana, Rishabh Pant, and Jemimah Rodrigues.

Male tennis number one Jannik Sinner also features, having signed deals with brands such as Nike, Gucci, Rolex, and Lavazza. Female tennis star Coco Gauff, who ranked 10th in 2025, has dropped to 32nd place for 2026.

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Last year’s most marketable athlete and seven-time Formula 1 world champion, Hamilton, has dropped from first to 22nd, scoring 66.63 out of 100.

Hamilton is joined by football stars Alexia Russo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Lamine Yamal, who recently finished third in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings.

One of the greatest NBA players in history, LeBron James, dropped from eighth in 2025 to 26th.

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Real Madrid duo Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe kick off the 20th-11th section and have been joined by fellow football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who dropped from his 2025 ranking of fifth to just 14th for 2026.

Meanwhile, tennis star Iga Swiatek, New York Knicks pair Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, plus Olympic medallist Sunisa Lee just missed out on the top 10.

10 AJ Dybantsa

Basketball

Washington Wizards’ teenage star, AJ Dybantsa, kicks off the top 10 with a marketability score of 70.80 out of 100. At the age of just 19, Dybantsa is likely to feature prominently in future lists, with a commercial trajectory score of 15 out of 15.

Taking home a reported salary of $14.75 million, Dybantsa has previously signed deals with Nike, Fanatics, and Red Bull.

9 Charles Leclerc

Formula 1

Charles Leclerc has been named the most marketable F1 driver in 2026, rising from 25th in last year’s list. The Monegasque has been with Ferrari since 2019 and has worked with brands such as Chivas Regal, APM Monaco, Puma, and Richard Mille.

With a marketability score of 71.12, Leclerc has been named a ‘Global Icon’ by SportsPro, making him one of the most recognisable athletes in the world.

8 Alexander Zverev

Tennis

Alexander Zverev has enjoyed a stellar year, having won the French Open and the US Open. He will also become world number one for the first time next week.

Brands such as Adidas, Jacob & Co., Head, and Loewe have all worked with the Olympic gold medallist before and his stock will continue to rise as he looks to dominate the tennis world.

7 Victor Wembanyama

Basketball

Victor Wembanyama is one of the biggest names in the NBA, having played for the San Antonio Spurs since 2023; most recently, he recorded a career-high 34 shots for a season-high 43 points in a 121-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Over the years, the 22-year-old has worked with Nike, Fanatics, Louis Vuitton and Barilla.

6 Alysa Liu

Figure Skating

Alysa Liu is fast becoming one of the most sought-after athletes on the planet, having won two gold medals during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

With a marketability score of 73.04, Liu has already partnered with Louis Vuitton, Nike, Sephora, and the popular video game Fortnite.

5 Carlos Alcaraz

Tennis

Despite an injury-hit 2026 season, Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz is the most marketable male tennis player on earth right now. Thanks to his infectious personality and spectacular shot-making abilities, Alcaraz attracts attention wherever he goes.

So far in his career, the 23-year-old has worked with Rolex, Nike, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, and BMW.

4 Erling Haaland

Manchester City star Erling Haaland has been ranked in fourth place, having broken records left, right, and centre since moving to English football in 2022 from Borussia Dortmund.

According to The Pillar Edit, Haaland has a brand deal with Nike that is worth $20 to $24 million per year, making it one of the most lucrative boot deals in football history.

The Norwegian has also worked with Breitling, Beats by Dre, Midea, and Budweiser.

3 Giannis Antetokounmpo

Basketball

Widely considered one of the greatest forwards of all time, Giannis Antetokounmpo has made headlines in the NBA. The 31-year-old improved to third place after being ranked ninth in 2025.

The Miami Heat superstar’s brand deals over the years include Nike, Betano, Google, Breitling, and Tissot.

2 Eileen Gu

Skiing

Just missing out on the top spot is Eileen Gu, one of the greatest skiers of all time and the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history, having won six medals.

Gu is widely considered one of the world's most marketable athletes, thanks to her talent and personality. According to Forbes, Gu earned £16.9 million of her £17 million 2025 total through endorsements and engagements away from skiing.

So far, the 23-year-old has secured deals with the likes of Red Bull, Porsche, IWC Schaffhausen, TCL electronics, and a number of Chinese-based companies.

1 Aryna Sabalenka

Tennis

With a score of 80.95, Aryna Sabalenka is SportsPro’s most marketable athlete of 2026, moving up from her 2025 ranking of 27.

Although the 28-year-old failed to win a Grand Slam in 2026 and recently lost her world number-one title to Elena Rybakina, Sabalenka remains a huge name.

Already a Nike and Wilson athlete, Sabalenka has also worked with Gucci, Whoop, Stella Artois, Emirates, and Audemars Piguet. She has also featured in Vogue, Esquire, and TIME Magazine.