World’s ‘Richest Athlete’ Is Wealthier Than Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods Combined

There is one star athlete who could inherit a stunning amount of money totalling more than the net worths of several of the biggest names in sport.

It's a well known fact that professional athletes are among the highest paid people in the world, with many of them taking home millions every year.

In the Premier League, the highest paid player is reportedly Manchester City star Erling Haaland, who boasts a weekly income of £525,000 or an annual salary of £27.3million.

Despite this, Haaland's net worth, which according to Forbes is $80m (£59.5m), is still massively behind the likes of Jordan and Woods who both dominated their sports during the entirety of their playing careers.

However, there is one other sports star who could surpass all others with a wealth believed to be even more than both Woods' and Jordan's net worths combined.

Jordan is one of the wealthiest men in sport. (Image: James Gilbert/Getty Images)

According to Forbes, Jordan's real time net worth is a staggering $3.8b (£2.83b), with the former NBA star boasting $90m (£67m) of career earnings combined with $2.4b (£1.79b) gained from corporate partners such as his partnership with Nike.

Meanwhile Woods' is worth a measly $1.3b (£1.03b), having become him only the second active athlete ever to become a billionaire in 2022, following LeBron James.

The combined net worth of both men total a breathtaking $5.1b (£3.86b) and yet it doesn't even come close to the potential $9.3 b (£5.74b) fortune that tennis star Jessica Pegula could inherit.

Pegula is a professional women's tennis player currently ranked sixth in the world having reached a career-high singles ranking of number three in 2022.

The American star player is yet to win one of the four grand slams in tennis but came close as she made the final of the 2024 US Open, losing 7-5, 7-5 to world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

In total, it is estimated that the 31-year-old was won over $19m (£14.2m) in prize money in her career, but that's not even close to what she could inherit later in life.

Pegula could inherit a massive amount of money. (Image: Al Bello/Getty Images)

Jessica Pegula is the daughter of Terry Pegula, the billionaire owner of NFL team the Buffalo Bills and the NHL team the Buffalo Sabres.

According to Forbes, the businessman is currently worth 9.3 billions dollars (£8.07b), making him the 363rd wealthiest person in the world

Of course, later in life Jessica and her four siblings – two from her father's first marriage – will inherit his massive net worth.