The latest rankings estimate the combined fortune of Beckham and his wife, fashion entrepreneur and former Spice Girls member Victoria Beckham, at £1.185 billion ($1.6 billion), marking a significant rise in their wealth over the past year.
The Beckhams now rank second among the wealthiest figures in British sport, behind the family of former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, whose fortune is estimated at £2 billion.
Much of Beckham’s growing fortune has been driven by his business ventures beyond football. The former Manchester United midfielder is co-owner of Inter Miami CF, currently regarded as Major League Soccer’s most valuable franchise with an estimated worth of $1.45 billion (£1.07 billion).
Beckham has also maintained lucrative global endorsement partnerships with major brands including Adidas and Hugo Boss, reinforcing his status as one of the most commercially successful athletes in modern sports history.
Victoria Beckham’s contribution to the family’s fortune has largely come from her luxury fashion label, which she built after transitioning from global pop stardom with the Spice Girls into the fashion industry.
While the Beckhams enjoyed a surge in wealth, the financial picture was less positive for Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United and founder of petrochemicals giant Ineos.
Ratcliffe reportedly saw his fortune fall by £1.85 billion over the last year, reducing his estimated wealth to £15.194 billion and pushing him down from seventh to ninth place on the overall Rich List.
According to the Sunday Times compilers, the decline was linked to mounting debt pressures, lower revenues and losses within Ineos.
“The value of Ineos was reduced due to rising debt, falling revenues and a loss of £515.7 million,” the report noted.
Despite the setback, the decline was less severe than the previous year, when Ratcliffe’s wealth reportedly dropped by more than £6 billion.
Elsewhere on the sports rich list, veteran promoter Barry Hearn and his son Eddie Hearn amassed a combined fortune of £1.035 billion through the success of Matchroom Sport, a major force in boxing, darts and snooker promotion.
Eddie Hearn, who fronts Matchroom Boxing, also represents British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, ranked eighth on the list with an estimated wealth of £240 million.
Joshua sits ahead of fellow heavyweight rival Tyson Fury, whose fortune was estimated at £162 million.
Hearn recently revealed that Joshua has agreed to a long-anticipated fight against Fury, though an official venue and date have yet to be announced.
Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton placed fifth on the list with an estimated £435 million fortune, while golf star Rory McIlroy ranked seventh after back-to-back Masters triumphs boosted his earnings and endorsements.
England captain Harry Kane and tennis icon Andy Murray shared 10th place, each with an estimated net worth of £110 million.