KEY POINT
- Eileen Gu earned an estimated $23.1 million in 2025, largely from endorsements rather than competition winnings.
- Tennis players dominate the top of the Forbes list but Gu stands out as the highest earning Winter Olympian.
- The trend highlights how global visibility and branding increasingly drive athlete income beyond on field results.
Freestyle skier Eileen Gu has emerged as one of the highest paid female athletes in the world, according to Forbes’ 2025 rankings, underscoring how commercial endorsements are reshaping women’s sports economics even as pay disparities persist across disciplines.
The latest Forbes ranking of the world’s highest paid female athletes places Gu fourth overall, behind tennis stars Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
Her earnings position her as the most commercially successful Winter Olympian on the list, reflecting a broader shift in how elite female athletes generate income.
While competitive prize money remains uneven across sports, endorsement revenue continues to expand for athletes with international profiles.
Gu rose to global prominence during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where she won two gold medals and one silver at age eighteen, becoming the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing.
Since then, she has maintained elite competitive status while building a commercial portfolio that extends far beyond skiing.
According to Forbes, Gu earned approximately $23 million from endorsements in 2025, compared with about $100,000 in prize money.
By contrast, tennis players benefit from decades of structural investment and, since 2007, equal prize money at major tournaments. In sports such as skiing, prize purses remain comparatively modest, limiting on-field earning potential.
“The Gu case illustrates how women’s sports revenue is increasingly tied to global brand visibility rather than domestic league economics,” said Mary Jo Kane, director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota. “Athletes who cross cultural and commercial boundaries can access income streams unavailable through competition alone.”
Gu’s modeling work with IMG and appearances for luxury brands including Louis Vuitton and Victoria’s Secret have amplified her reach beyond traditional sports audiences. Her dual cultural presence in the United States and China has further expanded her marketability.
“For brands, Gu represents athletic excellence combined with youth, fashion and international appeal,” said Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at SKEMA Business School. “That combination is rare and highly valuable, especially in markets where winter sports participation is still developing.”
| Athlete | Sport | Estimated 2025 Earnings | Primary Income Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coco Gauff | Tennis | $33 million | Prize money and endorsements |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Tennis | $30 million | Prize money and endorsements |
| Iga Swiatek | Tennis | $25.1 million | Prize money and endorsements |
| Eileen Gu | Freestyle skiing | $23.1 million | Endorsements |
| Lindsey Vonn | Alpine skiing | $15 million | Endorsements |
Source: Forbes
The table highlights the widening gap between endorsement-driven earnings and competition payouts in women’s sports outside tennis.
A spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee said the organization has seen “measurable growth in sponsorship interest around female Winter Olympians following Beijing 2022,” noting that digital engagement has become a key driver of athlete visibility.
Sarah Hirshland, chief executive officer of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said endorsement success “reflects both athletic achievement and the ability to connect with fans globally,” adding that national bodies are working to improve funding pathways for winter sports athletes.
Gu has previously acknowledged that her commercial work supports long term athletic development, allowing her to invest in training and recovery resources often unavailable through prize money alone.
With the 2026 Winter Olympics approaching in Italy, industry analysts expect endorsement competition among elite female athletes to intensify.
Brands are increasingly aligning with athletes who offer cross-platform reach and cultural relevance, potentially widening income gaps between globally marketable stars and competitors without similar exposure.
At the same time, governing bodies face pressure to reassess prize structures and revenue sharing to ensure sustainable career paths for women across all sports.
Eileen Gu’s position among the world’s top earning female athletes highlights a changing financial landscape in women’s sports, where endorsement power can rival or surpass competitive earnings.
Her trajectory reflects both new opportunities and enduring challenges as female athletes navigate an evolving global sports economy.
