Top 10 Highest-Paid Players in the Saudi League 2026-27

Aug 10, 2026

Saudi Arabia has become the new El Dorado of world football, and it quickly became clear that the country was not merely looking to attract players at the end of their careers or those with no place left in European football.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in 2022 was an early indication of the Saudi kingdom’s ambitions to put its football firmly on the global map. Even if that meant opening the chequebook and tapping into financial resources largely fuelled by oil revenues.

With the new season about to get underway, Finance Football exclusively reveals the ranking of the 10 highest-paid players in the Saudi League for the 2026-27 season. The figures are staggering, with salaries that only find comparable levels in the Premier League and at a select group of European clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

Ronaldo remains at the top

The ranking features some significant changes compared with last season, with several high-profile players leaving the league, including Fabinho and Marcelo Brozović.

The top of the list, however, remains unchanged, with Cristiano Ronaldo once again leading the way. At 41, the Portuguese superstar is the highest-paid footballer in the world, earning an annual salary of €200 million at reigning champions Al-Nassr.

Second place — previously occupied by Neymar — now belongs to Karim Benzema, who is set to enter his fourth season with Al-Ittihad. The French striker, who is about to turn 39, earns €120 million per year.

The podium is completed by Al-Ahli winger Riyad Mahrez, who earns €50 million per season.

Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr teammate Sadio Mané ranks fourth, with an annual salary of €40 million. He is followed by Kalidou Koulibaly, who earns €35 million at Al-Hilal.

Three players are tied on €25 million: Rúben Neves and Sergej Milinković-Savić, both of Al-Hilal, and Ivan Toney of Al-Ahli.

The ranking is completed by three players earning €20 million per season: Theo Hernández of Al-Hilal, Kingsley Coman of Al-Nassr and Alexandre Lacazette.

Ronaldo and five others out of contract at the end of the season

There are 11 players featured in the ranking, six of whom are set to see their contracts expire at the end of the season, in June 2027.

Ronaldo is among them, raising the question of whether the upcoming campaign could be the Portuguese international’s final season in Saudi Arabia.

The same applies to Benzema, Mahrez, Sadio Mané and Koulibaly, who are also approaching the final chapters of highly successful careers in professional football.