Who earns the most among the athletes present at the Olympic Games Winter of Milan-Cortina? For the vast majority of them, the sport they play is not enough to cover the costs of an elite career: between travel, training and staff, competing on the Olympic stage can even result in an economic loss. In short, sporting glory does not always coincide with financial sustainability.
However, there is a small group of athletes for whom the problem does not arise. As Forbes points outsome of the richest and most highly paid athletes in the world will also compete at the 2026 Games.
The richest
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Unlike the summer Olympics – often dominated by NBA, golf and tennis superstars, regulars in the Forbes rankings of the highest-paid athletes – the winter event will have ice hockey as a major exception.
The men’s tournament in Milan will include 146 NHL players, returning to the Olympics after an absence since 2014. The North American league has a minimum salary of $775,000 per season and, according to Forbes, nine of the ten highest-paid players in the NHL will be at the Games. The only notable absence is that of goalkeeper Igor Shesterkin, who was excluded along with Russia due to the war in Ukraine.
The highest paid
The highest paid hockey player in the competition will be Auston Matthews, star of the Toronto Maple Leafs and captain of Team USA. Matthews earns over $15 million from his club and around $5 million from endorsements, for a total of $20 million annually. Impressive numbers, which however are not enough to make him the richest Olympian ever.
According to Forbes, this record goes to Eileen Gu, a freestyle skier born in the United States but competing for China. The 22-year-old sports marketing icon has grossed $23 million in the last 12 months, almost entirely from sponsorships, despite relatively modest race prizes. Brands such as Anta, Bosideng, Mengniu Dairy and Luckin Coffee have turned Gu into the true economic queen of the Games.
The Olympics also represent a powerful value multiplier. Many sponsorship deals include bonuses linked to medals, and a win can attract new commercial deals in the post-Olympic period. Added to this are the state prizes: the United States recognizes up to 37,500 dollars for gold, while Italy, the host country, rewards the champions with amounts between 71,000 and 213,000 dollars. Some nations, as Forbes highlights, even go as high as $800,000 for a gold medal.
In the case of US athletes, the benefit is guaranteed even without a podium: thanks to a $100 million donation from financier Ross Stevens, every US Olympian and Paralympian will receive $200,000, regardless of the result.
The highest paid stars by discipline (according to Forbes)
Sci frsytyle: Eilee Gu – 23 million
Hockey: Auston Matthews – $20 million
Alpine skiing: Lindsey Vonn – $8 million
Snowboarding: Chloe Kim – $4 million
Figure skating: Ilia Malinin – approximately $700,000
The Italians who earn the most
Even if Forbes does not publish official estimates on the earnings of Italian athletes, some names clearly emerge due to their media value and commercial appeal:
Federica Brignone (alpine skiing): multiple World Cup winner and face of numerous sports and lifestyle brands.
Arianna Fontana (short track): one of the most decorated Italian athletes ever, with a media profile built on longevity and Olympic success.
Federico Pellegrino (cross-country skiing): international reference of the discipline, very attractive for sponsors linked to winter sports.
Then there is also Sofia Goggia. In the World Cup season, the prizes obtained in international competitions (such as downhill and super-G) led her to collect figures in the order of around 260,000–320,000 euros in prize money alone. According to estimates from sports marketing sites, Sofia Goggia can earn between approximately 500,000 and 1,000,000 euros per year from sponsorship deals and commercial activities related to her image. As an athlete of the Fiamme Gialle (sports corps of the Financial Police), Goggia also receives a fixed salary linked to his military position, estimated between 40,000 and 50,000 euros gross per year. Putting these components together (match prizes, sponsors and salary), a realistic approximation of Sofia Goggia’s annual income is between approximately 900,000 and 1,600,000 euros, with the possibility of further increasing in seasons of great sporting successes or in Olympic periods
date: 2026-02-07 19:18:00
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