Former Manchester United and England captain David Beckham has become Britain’s first billionaire sportsman after his family wealth surpassed the £1bn mark in the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List.
The list estimated the combined fortune of Beckham and his wife, fashion designer and former Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham, at £1.185bn ($1.6bn), placing them second among the wealthiest figures in British sport behind former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and his family, whose wealth stands at £2bn.
Beckham’s growing fortune has been driven by his commercial partnerships with brands including Adidas and Hugo Boss, alongside his stake in Inter Miami CF, now valued at an estimated $1.45bn (£1.07bn).
While Beckham’s wealth increased significantly over the past year, Jim Ratcliffe saw his fortune decline. The Manchester United co-owner dropped from seventh to ninth on the overall Rich List after his wealth fell by £1.85bn to £15.194bn.
According to the list compilers, the value of Ratcliffe’s petrochemicals company INEOS was reduced to £17bn due to rising debt, declining revenues and losses exceeding £515m.
The sports rich list also featured boxing promoters Barry Hearn and Eddie Hearn, whose combined fortune was estimated at £1.035bn through their work with Matchroom Sport.
Heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua ranked eighth with £240m, ahead of fellow Briton Tyson Fury on £162m. Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton placed fifth with £435m, while golfer Rory McIlroy ranked seventh on £325m.
England captain Harry Kane and two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray were joint 10th on the list, each with an estimated fortune of £110m.
Oluwagbemisola Babalola
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