Not Messi or Ronaldo! Aryna Sabalenka is the most marketable athlete of 2026
(Courtesy : @arynasabalenka/Instagram)
Sabalenka is one of the three tennis players to finish in the top 10
Having established herself as the top player in women’s tennis, Aryna Sabalenka is also beating the field in the commercial world. The four-time Grand Slam champion has surpassed men’s tennis superstars Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and several global stars to earn the latest recognition.
Sabalenka tops SportsPro’s 17th annual list of the world’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes. Portugal’s football star Cristiano Ronaldo is 14th, ahead of Kylian Mbappé in 19th and Vinícius Júnior in 20th.
Sabalenka scored 80.95 out of 100 after rising from 27th place last year. Eileen Gu, the Chinese-American freestyle skier came second, with basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo and football star Erling Haaland finishing third and fourth.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz is fifth in the elite list, and fellow tennis player Alexander Zverev finished eighth, after enjoying a stellar season where he won two Grand Slam titles and reached the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. Wimbledon winner Jannik Sinner finds himself on 35th position.
The ranking looks at commercial pull rather than trophies. The 100-point score is built from brand equity (45 points), momentum (40) and commercial trajectory (15). The ranking considered 1,202 athletes across 70 sports, using evidence from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
Related: WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka sets stage on fire with Italian glamour at Vogue World 2026
Sabalenka scored 37.78 out of 45 for brand equity, thanks to her partnerships with legacy brands like Gucci, Emirates and Moroccanoil.
These rankings come despite a tough year on-court. The Belarusian finished 2026 without a single major title and has slipped to World No. 2 in the WTA rankings, after Elena Rybakina took the No. 1 ranking following her heroics in New York.
The 28-year-old has still won three titles this season. Her outspoken personality and distinctive presence have strengthened her appeal to sponsors and a wider audience.
Forbes estimates she will earn about $36.1 million in 2026, with $23 million of that from off-court activities.
Sabalenka is the fourth woman and the third tennis player to top the list since it began in 2010. Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lewis Hamilton, Naomi Osaka and Genie Bouchard.
Top 10 most marketable athletes of 2026
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- Aryna Sabalenka – Tennis
- Eileen Gu – Freestyle Skiing
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – Basketball
- Erling Haaland – Football
- Carlos Alcaraz – Tennis
- Alysa Liu – Figure Skating
- Victor Wembanyama – Basketball
- Alexander Zverev – Tennis
- Charles Leclerc – Formula 1
- AJ Dybantsa – Basketball
Who is the most marketable athlete of 2026?
According to SportsPro’s annual list, Aryna Sabalenka is the most marketable athlete of 2026.
Who are top 10 most marketable athletes in 2026?
Aryna Sabalenka – Tennis
Eileen Gu – Freestyle Skiing
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Basketball
Erling Haaland – Football
Carlos Alcaraz – Tennis
Alysa Liu – Figure Skating
Victor Wembanyama – Basketball
Alexander Zverev – Tennis
Charles Leclerc – Formula 1
AJ Dybantsa – Basketball
Why has Aryna Sabalenka been named the most marketable athlete of 2026?
Sabalenka has surpassed several big-name stars to earn this recognition due to her commercial pull as well as tie ups with global legacy brands such as Gucci, Emirates and Moroccanoil.
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