David Beckham becomes first British billionaire sportsman

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Former Manchester United and England football star David Beckham has become Britain’s first billionaire sportsman, according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List.

Beckham and his wife Victoria’s collective wealth reached an estimated 1.185 billion pounds ($1.583bn) this year, the Rich List compilers said.

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That moved them into second place in the list of the United Kingdom’s wealthiest sportspeople, behind the family of ex-Formula One chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, whose wealth was valued at 2 billion pounds ($2.7bn).

Beckham, who retired from playing in 2013, is a co-owner of Inter Miami, estimated to be Major League Soccer’s most valuable club at 1.07 billion pounds ($1.4bn).

The 51-year-old also has lucrative brand ambassador roles for companies including Adidas and Hugo Boss.

Beckham captained England and won the Premier League and Champions League during a glittering career with United, before spells at Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

Victoria Beckham’s wealth has largely been generated from her fashion label after she originally found fame as a member of pop band The Spice Girls.

Joining Beckham on the Rich List, seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is fifth on the list, having built a fortune the Rich List calculated at 435 million pounds ($582m).

Reigning Masters golf champion Rory McIlroy is seventh with a 325 million-pound ($435m) valuation.

Boxer Anthony Joshua is placed at eighth with a fortune of 240 million pounds ($321m), one place above his heavyweight rival Tyson Fury, who is ninth on 162 million pounds ($217m).

Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane and retired former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray are joint 10th with 110 million pounds ($147m) each.

Among businesspeople with sporting associations, Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has dropped down the overall Rich List.

His fortune shrank by 1.85 billion pounds ($2.5bn), according to the list compilers, to 15.194 billion pounds ($20.3bn).

The list compilers lowered the value of Ratcliffe’s petrochemicals company INEOS to 17 billion pounds ($22.7bn) owing to “rising debt, falling revenues and a loss of £515.7 million”.

Promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn have joined Britain’s billionaire club, with their combined wealth estimated at 1.035 billion pounds ($1.38bn).

Barry is the founder and president of Matchroom Sport, one of the leading promoters in boxing, darts and snooker, while his son Eddie is chairman of the organisation.