David Beckham makes rich list history as Jim Ratcliffe’s wealth declines
By Jamie Gardner, Press Association Chief Sports Reporter
Former Manchester United star David Beckham has become Britain’s first billionaire sportsman in the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List – but the club’s co-owner Jim Ratcliffe’s wealth has decreased over the last 12 months.
The collective wealth of Beckham and his wife Victoria passed the billion-pound mark this year, according to the compilers of the list, reaching £1.185 billion (€1.36 billion)
That placed them second in the Sunday Times’ list of wealthiest sportspeople, behind the family of ex-Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, whose wealth was placed at £2bn.
Former England captain Beckham is a co-owner of Inter Miami, estimated to be Major League Soccer’s most valuable club at $1.45 billion.
He has also made huge sums as a brand ambassador for companies like Adidas and Hugo Boss.
Victoria Beckham’s wealth has primarily been generated from the fashion label she set up in her name, having originally found fame and fortune as a member of the Spice Girls.
While the Beckhams saw their wealth grow over the last 12 months, Ratcliffe, the co-owner of Beckham’s former club, has dropped down the overall Rich List from seventh to ninth.
His fortune shrank by £1.85 billion, according to the list compilers, to £15.194 billion.
The list compilers lowered the value of his petrochemicals company Ineos to £17 billion owing to “rising debt, falling revenues and a loss of £515.7million”.
That was less of a drop compared to the year before, when the list compilers said his wealth plummeted by over £6 billion.
Joining Beckham on the richest sportspeople list are promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn, whose combined wealth was estimated at £1.035 billion
Barry Hearn is the founder and president of Matchroom Sport, one of the leading promoters across boxing, darts, and snooker. His son Eddie is the chairman of Matchroom and is best known as the public face of its boxing division.
Eddie Hearn is the promoter of British heavyweight Anthony Joshua, who is eighth on the list with a fortune of £240 million. That places him above another heavyweight, Tyson Fury, who is ninth on £162 million.
Hearn announced last month that Joshua had signed a deal to fight Fury, with no confirmed date or venue as yet.
Seven-time F1 champion Sir Lewis Hamilton is fifth on the list (£435 million), while back-to-back Masters golf champion Rory McIlroy is seventh with £325 million.
England football captain Harry Kane and two-time Wimbledon tennis champion Andy Murray are joint 10th on £110 million.
