The numbers are enough to make your eyes water.
They are the salaries, prizemoney winnings and sponsorship returns of Australia’s top-earning athletes.
It was a tough list to build, and an even tougher one to get onto – the cut-off is about $2 million at the bottom end, and tops out at almost $60 million.
This masthead spoke to dozens of international and Australian industry experts across various sports and leant on reliable sports data sources, such as Forbes, Sportico and Spotrac, to collate a list of Australian sport’s 50 top earners.
Not all salaries are public, and exact terms for commercial deals are mostly not shared, so any list such as this one involves an element of estimating. But after months of detailed research and investigation, we have landed on a format that shows a range for each athlete’s salary.
Below are the parameters we set to construct the list – which explains why some names you might expect to see are not included. Click to expand for the answers.
In this, part one of our series, we reveal the athletes in spots 50 to 26. Scroll down for a searchable version of the first half of the list.
Come back on Wednesday, when we’ll reveal the top 25. Then return each day for more on the AFL’s top earners, the athletes aged 23 and under who are making big bucks and the highest-paid women in Australian sport.
The list
The Tasmanian point guard spent the previous two NBL seasons with the Cairns Taipans – including a breakout 2024-25 campaign – before a stint as an NBA two-way player with the Golden State Warriors and their G-League affiliate, Santa Cruz. However, Armstrong’s appearance on this list owes to him signing in October with EuroLeague newcomers Dubai. He is playing on a $US1.25 million ($1.8 million) annual contract, an after-tax figure that is closer to $2.5 million before tax, according to a source familiar with the deal.
The Indonesian-born Australian golfer known as “Koala Karl” was the Korn Ferry Tour’s rookie of the year in 2024, including earning his PGA Tour card. Vilips followed that effort by winning almost $US1.5 million (more than $2 million) in prizemoney in the US last year. In between, Tiger Woods asked the Stanford University standout to become his apparel brand Sun Day Red’s first ambassador after treading a similar path to the American legend from child prodigy to the world’s best tour. Sun Day Red has a partnership with TaylorMade, which Vilips already used for his equipment.
The man known as Alexander “the Great” defied history at age 36, after coming off successive losses and a 14-month break to defeat Diego Lopes and reclaim the UFC featherweight title in UFC 314 in April last year. Volkanovski repeated the dose in a February rematch. Volkanovski received an estimated payout of almost $US1.5 million (more than $2 million) from the 2025 fight, including his promotional guidelines compliance pay, but the UFC no longer confirms overall purses. Volkanovski has sponsorship deals with the likes of Lotus Caravans, Sportsbet, Tyro Payments and energy drink Prime, while he co-founded apparel brand Engage.
Kyriacou is one of a number of Australian women making their mark in golf. She earned almost $US1 million ($1.45 million) on the LPGA Tour and another €388,416 ($648,000) in Europe for a total of more than $2 million in prizemoney. That figure does not include the $US125,000 ($175,000) she scored as her share for Australia’s International Crown team win. Kyriacou also has commercial partnerships with Titleist (equipment), Walker Golf (apparel), SParms (sun protection apparel) and sports technology company Rapsodo.
The Russian-born player switched her allegiance to Australia 12 months ago. Kasatkina still earned almost $US1.5 million (more than $2 million) prizemoney last year despite ending her season in September. She has a long-term apparel and footwear deal with Adidas, although the brand’s athletes are unable to wear patches on their clothing, which removes a common revenue stream for tennis players. The former world No.8 has also used Artengo racquets for the past four years. These partnerships typically come with tournament and ranking bonuses.
Carey received a Cricket Australia contract of up to $1.5 million last year, with match payments and prizemoney on top, and remains one of the strongest commercial performers among his peers. The gloveman is an ambassador for Woolworths, sustainable energy company GoodWe, and Oat Milk Goodness, while he has a bat contract with Kookaburra and footwear arrangement with ASICS. Another of Carey’s sponsorship deals is with Blue Dinosaur Nutrition (and a new one with Apple for 2026). He earned about $1 million commercially.
Stoinis was a T20 gun for hire – a lucrative pursuit if you are in demand, as he is – without a state or national contract, until he played enough internationals to score an upgraded Cricket Australia deal. That was worth about $350,000, plus match payments and prizemoney, but pales in comparison to his IPL auction price, which converts to about $1.7 million. Stoinis was paid $380,000 to play in The Hundred in England and a similar figure for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League. He has a bat contract with Gray-Nicolls and footwear deal with ASICS.
Kim won her maiden major title in miraculous fashion at last year’s Amundi Evian Championship, which delivered the lion’s share of her $US1.7 million (about $2.4 million) in prizemoney for the season. That victory should pay commercial dividends as well, but she already has a gear partnership with Srixon and Cleveland Golf, an apparel deal with Adidas, and is a global ambassador for lawnmower brand Husqvarna. Kim’s individual prizemoney tally for 2025 did not include Australia’s International Crown triumph in Seoul, where she partnered Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Stephanie Kyriacou. They received $US125,000 ($175,000) each.
No Australian in US college hoops is earning more than the Florida big man. The name, image and likeness (NIL) era has transformed college sports and contributed to athletes such as Condon delaying trying to get drafted. The 211-centimetre power forward/centre earns between $US2 million and $2.5 million ($2.9 to $3.6 million) on his NIL deal, according to a well-placed source, after winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association title with the Gators before withdrawing from last year’s NBA draft. Condon, who could have joined AFL team Collingwood as a category B rookie, averaged 15 points and eight rebounds a game.
Popyrin reached the top 20 for the first time last year – owing mostly to his 2024 Canadian Open title and two round-of-16 grand slam runs – and made $US1.8 million ($2.6 million) in prizemoney. He signed a multi-year apparel deal to become Psycho Bunny’s first athlete brand ambassador in January last year when he was the world No.23 – after previously wearing Fila – so the terms would have been significant. He is also part of Team Dunlop, partnered UKG Asia Pacific during 2025, and Blue Owl Capital was another of his patch partners. Popyrin also pocketed money from exhibitions, including UTS Nimes, and appearance fees.
Furphy signed a four-year, $US8.6 million ($12.3 million) contract with Indiana after San Antonio drafted him in the second round in 2024, and earned $US1.96 million ($2.8 million) in the 2025-26 season. The athletic guard unfortunately sustained an ACL rupture in his right knee in February. Furphy’s contract for 2026-27 is fully guaranteed, but the fourth season is a team option. His remaining income came from image rights (trading cards and 2K video game), his multi-year Puma shoe deal, and appearances.
Kerr’s £449,000 salary ($859,000) with Women’s Super League club Chelsea in 2024 was behind only two female footballers on the planet, and she is reportedly now in fifth position at £466,000 (about $890,000). A new collective bargaining agreement meant Matildas stars such as Kerr, captain since 2019, could earn up to $200,000 annually for representing Australia. But where she really cashes in is off the field, including a reported $1 million-a-year deal with Nike. Among Kerr’s other sponsors are Mastercard and telco company MATE. She is also an ambassador for EA Sports, and Commonwealth Bank is the Matildas’ naming rights partner. More deals have rolled in for 2026.
The Matildas sensation has arguably overtaken Sam Kerr as the country’s most marketable footballer. Fowler, who made the Women’s Super League team of the year for the 2024-25 season, also out-earns her partner, NRL star Nathan Cleary. Fowler has just signed a record-breaking five-year, $10 million deal with Adidas despite intense interest from Nike and New Balance. Sanitarium, L’Oréal Paris, Samsung, NIB Insurance, Penguin Random House, Rebel Sport, Rise & Shine Kindergarten, the Commonwealth Bank and Cupra are among Fowler’s commercial partners. She extended her Manchester City contract until 2027 – worth almost $300,000 per season – and collects up to $200,000 annually to represent Australia.
Davis pocketed $US2.1 million (almost $3 million) in prizemoney on the PGA Tour last year, plus some relative loose change in Australia. The Sydneysider and 2017 Australian Open champion was particularly good early in 2025, collecting $US1.29 million ($1.8 million) by the end of January, including a top-five finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. Davis has an apparel deal with Nike and plays with a full bag of Titleist gear, which typically earns golfers a higher return. Image rights and appearance fees round out his earnings.
There is doubt about what UFC fighters earn given purse payouts are estimated figures that are often bloated. Della Maddalena reportedly received $US582,000 (about $832,500) for upsetting titleholder Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, then just short of $US2 million (about $2.85 million) for fighting Islam Makhachev at UFC 322. Both figures are likely above what he actually earned. The Perth mixed martial artist, represented by Chosen Advisory Group’s Tim Simpson, has deals with True Protein, StreetX and SafeStyle Eyewear. Simpson did not respond to inquiries from this masthead. Della Maddalena will headline the UFC event in Perth in May.
No active Australian jockey’s bank balance is healthier than that of Purton, the leading rider in the lucrative Hong Kong racing scene. This figure does not include Purton’s triumph in The Everest, and is instead based on the 2024-25 season, to ensure he had a full campaign of results. He won an incredible 138 of his 593 starts in Hong Kong in that period, and jockeys there typically get 10 per cent of prizemoney for victories and 5 per cent for finishing from second to sixth. Purton also collects a fee per ride ($200 in Hong Kong and $274.25 in Australia).
Reath had season-ending surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot in late January. His old team, Portland, bundled him into a trade with Atlanta only days later, and the Hawks subsequently waived him. However, the Trail Blazers fully guaranteed Reath’s 2025-26 contract in August, so he will receive all the $US2.2 million ($3.2 million) he was owed for the third and final season of his deal. Reath has worn Nike shoes in his NBA career, and receives money from image rights (trading cards and 2K video game) and appearances.
O’Connor’s high-profile move from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to Australia’s GreenEDGE Cycling – on a two-year contract – ahead of the 2025 season did nothing to halt his ascension. He secured a brilliant victory in stage 18 of last year’s Tour de France, finishing ahead of four-time champion Tadej Pogačar, and placed 11th overall in the general classification. Cycling contracts are not public, and there is a wide variance with estimates on O’Connor’s deal: from $3.3 million annually to almost $5 million, which was the educated, but lofty, guess of Johan Bruyneel, Lance Armstrong’s ex-team director. That factors performance bonuses and prizemoney into O’Connor’s salary.
The triple Olympic medal-winning snowboarder is one of the highest-profile and best remunerated competitors in winter sports – but the vast majority of his wealth comes off the slopes. Commercial partners include Red Bull, Oakley, apparel companies Volcom and K-WAY, Thredbo Resort and blockchain technology company OKX. James has also joined fellow Winter Olympians Chloe Kim and Eileen Gu as founder athletes and investors in the X Games League, which they will advise on competition formats and athletes’ experience.
Landale is on a more modest salary this NBA season, playing on a one-year, $US2.5 million ($3.5 million) contract that he initially signed with Memphis. That follows his four-year, $US32 million ($45.5 million) deal with the Houston Rockets. Landale was enjoying a productive stint with the Grizzlies, including starting 25 games, before being traded to Atlanta, where he is still plays about 20 minutes per game. His other key earnings come from image rights (trading cards and 2K video game), his Nike shoe deal and appearances.
The legendary batter is closer to the end than the start of his career, but continues to be paid well. Smith earns about $2.4 million on his Cricket Australia contract once match payments and prizemoney are included. He also received about $400,000 in salary in both the Big Bash League and England’s equivalent, The Hundred, but was overlooked in the IPL auction. Smith even squeezed in a stint in Major League Cricket in the US. He has a bat and apparel contract with New Balance worth up to $300,000. He partners with furniture company Koala, including a 10 per cent equity stake, and is an ambassador for crypto app Bamboo and cashback platform Cashrewards.
The all-rounder fetched a record IPL auction price of INR25.20 crore (about $3.64 million), which trumped compatriot Mitchell Starc’s 2023 mark of about $3.58 million. However, tournament rules for overseas players mean Green can receive only a maximum of INR18 crore (about $2.6 million). His Cricket Australia contract retainer is believed to be less than $1.5 million, but match payments and prizemoney would bolster that. The West Australian is popular with major brands and has partnerships with Gray-Nicolls, ASICS, Rado and Toyota Australia, and is also an ambassador for Kidney Health Australia.
The No.5 pick in the 2014 NBA draft, who was courtside at South East Melbourne Phoenix NBL games recently as a part-owner, does not have a team after suffering a season-ending knee injury in November. But Exum signed a fully guaranteed $US3.3 million ($4.6 million) contract for the 2025-26 season. He started the campaign with Dallas before being traded to Washington post-injury, but the Wizards waived him. Exum also received earnings from image rights (trading cards, 2K video game), his Nike shoe deal, and appearances.
Faalele was on the receiving end of some brutal criticism of his play at right guard during a tough past season for Baltimore, but he at least pocketed $US3.6 million (more than $5 million) for his troubles. That was the final season of his four-year rookie deal, and reporting in the US suggests he is unlikely to continue at the Ravens, so he will hope to latch on elsewhere. NFL players also receive income for the commercial use of their name, image and likeness on merchandise, video games (Madden) and trading cards.
Tszyu is on the comeback trail after a series of high-profile defeats, including a second loss to American Sebastian Fundora in Las Vegas in July. Boxing purses, including his Fundora rematch, are rarely made public, but a boxing source told this masthead that the son of Kostya received roughly $1.5 million for the fight, including his pay-per-view share. Promoted by No Limit Boxing, Tszyu’s two Australian fights – against Joey Spencer and Anthony Velazquez – returned no more than $300,000 each. Three of his biggest sponsorships last year were with Everlast, JD Sports and Carbiz.
The data
Reporters Dan Walsh, Roy Ward, Vince Rugari and Andrew Wu contributed to this project.
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
