The richest badminton players list is topped by Lin Dan, who survived a very public cheating scandal
Lin Dan is the richest badminton player in the world, with an estimated net worth of $30–50 million — a fortune built across two Olympic gold medals, five World Championships, and some of the sport's most lucrative endorsement deals. Known as "Super Dan," the retired Chinese legend tops this list by a wide margin, even after surviving a public cheating scandal in 2016 that threatened both his image and his sponsors.
Source: Original
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Lin Dan leads with an estimated net worth of $30–50 million — roughly double the runner-up.
- Lee Chong Wei sits second with approximately $16 million, despite retiring in 2019 following a cancer diagnosis.
- The richest active player on this list is Viktor Axelsen, worth an estimated $10–12 million, who retired from badminton in April 2026.
- The wealthiest woman on the list is P.V. Sindhu, with an estimated $7.2 million — making her one of the highest-paid female athletes in the world, per Forbes.
- Lakshya Sen rounds out the top five at approximately $6 million, a notable figure for a player still in the early stages of his career.
How this ranking was determined
Our rankings are based on net worth estimates drawn from Celebrity Net Worth, Forbes, and specialist sports finance sources including Sportskeeda. Where multiple credible estimates exist for the same player, we use the most widely cited mid-range figure. Net worth includes career prize money, government sporting stipends, brand endorsements, and post-retirement business interests.
Summary table
Rank | Player | Country | Net worth (est.) | Olympic medals | World titles |
5 | Lakshya Sen | India | ~$6M | 0 | 0 (Bronze, 2021) |
4 | P.V. Sindhu | India | ~$7.2M | 2 | 1 |
3 | Viktor Axelsen | Denmark | ~$10–12M | 3 (2 Gold, 1 Bronze) | 2 |
2 | Lee Chong Wei | Malaysia | ~$16M | 3 (Silver) | 0 |
1 | Lin Dan | China | ~$30–50M | 2 (Gold) | 5 |
5. Lakshya Sen (~$6 million)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Lakshya Sen
- Date of birth: 16 August 2001
- Age: 25 (as of September 2026)
- Nationality: Indian
- Profession: Professional badminton player
- Net worth: ~$6 million (est. 2026)
Lakshya Sen has an estimated net worth of $6 million as of 2026, roughly equivalent to 57 crore Indian rupees. He has built his wealth not only through tournament success but also through lucrative brand endorsement deals and growing social media popularity.
Sen came into the limelight when he won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games by defeating Malaysia's Ng Tze Yong in the final. He then reached the semi-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics before losing to Viktor Axelsen. In 2025, he won the Australian Open) for the first time, beating Yushi Tanaka in straight games.
4. P.V. Sindhu (~$7.2 million)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
- Date of birth: 5 July 1995
- Age: 31 (as of September 2026)
- Nationality: Indian
- Profession: Professional badminton player
- Net worth: ~$7.2 million (Forbes est., 2024)
With earnings of $7.1 million across 2022–24, Sindhu made Forbes' list of Highest-Paid Female Athletes in 2022, 2023, and 2024. She won gold at the 2019 World Championships and holds the record as the first Indian to become the badminton world champion.
In 2019, she signed a four-year contract worth Rs 50 crore with Li Ning, and she also serves as an ambassador for Maybelline, Bank of Baroda, and Asian Paints.
3. Viktor Axelsen (~$10–12 million)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Viktor Axelsen
- Date of birth: 4 January 1994
- Age: 32 (as of September 2026)
- Nationality: Danish
- Profession: Retired professional badminton player
- Net worth: ~$10–12 million (est. 2026)
On 15 April 2026, Axelsen officially announced his retirement. Standing at 1.94 m, he used his incredible reach and power to become the most successful men's singles player in Olympic history. He earned three Olympic medals across his career: a Bronze at Rio 2016, Gold at Tokyo 2020 without dropping a single game, and a defended Gold title at Paris 2024 after defeating Kunlavut Vitidsarn in a dominant final.
First reaching World No. 1 on 28 September 2017, Axelsen spent a total of 183 weeks at the top of the men's singles rankings across multiple stints. After a professional career spanning 16 years, he retired in April 2026 because of recurring back issues, leaving behind one of the most dominant legacies in modern badminton.
2. Lee Chong Wei (~$16 million)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Lee Chong Wei
- Date of birth: 21 October 1982
- Age: 43 (as of September 2026)
- Nationality: Malaysian
- Profession: Retired professional badminton player
- Net worth: ~$16 million (est.)
Lee Chong Wei has a net worth of $16 million. In his glorious career, he captured three Olympic silver medals — a feat unmatched by any other Malaysian athlete — and held the world number one ranking for a record-breaking 349 weeks.
He earned the title of Datuk, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak described him as a national hero. Lee retired in June 2019, but his legacy continues to inspire youngsters in his country.
1. Lin Dan (~$30–50 million)
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Lin Dan (林丹)
- Date of birth: 14 October 1983
- Age: 42 (as of September 2026)
- Nationality: Chinese
- Profession: Retired professional badminton player
- Net worth: ~$30–50 million (est.)
Lin Dan is a two-time Olympic gold medallist, five-time World Championships gold medalist, two-time Asian Games gold medalist, four-time Asian champion, and a six-time All England champion. He won two consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012, making him the only badminton singles player to do so. His association with leading brands such as Yonex, Nike, and Audi further boosted his earnings and global appeal.
His wealth, however, has not been the only thing that defines his public profile. In November 2016, a showbiz blogger exposed photos purportedly showing Lin Dan having an affair with Chinese actress and model Zhao Yaqi while his wife was pregnant. Olympic badminton champion Lin Dan apologised for cheating on his wife, hours after the affair was exposed online.
The hashtag #LinDancheating generated enormous public attention. His wife Xie Xingfang, former World No. 1 women's singles player, decided to stand by her husband after the cheating scandal erupted. The episode was a huge hit to Lin Dan's reputation, but his rapid apology appears to have appeased his main sponsors, and he returned to action less than three weeks later in the Chinese Super League with success.
After playing in several tournaments, Lin Dan retired on 4 July 2020.
FAQs
Who is the richest badminton player in the world?
Lin Dan's net worth is estimated at around $50 million. Also known as "Super Dan," he is a retired Chinese professional badminton player considered one of the greatest of all time. His wealth comes from prize money, government support, and decades of elite endorsements.
Why is Lin Dan so famous beyond badminton?
Lin Dan made global headlines in 2016 when a public cheating scandal broke while his wife Xie Xingfang was pregnant. The hashtag #LinDancheating accumulated 2.9 billion hits. Within hours, Lin Dan apologised on social media, as reported by Hindustan Times:
As a man, I won't make an excuse for myself. But my behaviour hurt my family, so here I am to apologise to my family, I'm sorry.
Xie Xingfang stood by him, and the couple remained together.
Has Viktor Axelsen retired?
Yes. On 15 April 2026, Axelsen officially announced his retirement, ending a legendary era in men's singles. He is still the most successful men's singles player in Olympic history, having won gold at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Is P.V. Sindhu the richest female badminton player?
She is among the wealthiest. Sindhu made Forbes' list of Highest-Paid Female Athletes in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 — a remarkable streak that underlines just how dominant her earning power has been, driven primarily by endorsements rather than prize money alone.
How much is Lakshya Sen worth compared to other Indian badminton players?
According to Sportskeeda, Lakshya Sen's estimated net worth is about Rs 41 crore, including earnings from his badminton career, brand endorsements, and social media engagements. That places him below Sindhu, but since he is still early in his career, his financial trajectory is sharply upward.
The richest badminton players have turned extraordinary careers into lasting financial success and global recognition. Lin Dan leads the list, with his legendary career and commercial appeal helping him maintain his place despite the intense scrutiny surrounding a 2016 cheating scandal. His resilience has become another defining part of "Super Dan's" legacy.
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N0tail earned about $3.12 million from a single 2019 International tournament. He and OG made history by winning the event twice in a row.
Source: Legit.ng
