David Beckham named UK’s first billionaire athlete, Gallagher Bros join Rich List

David Beckham has made history as the UK’s first billionaire athlete. This year’s Sunday Times Rich List also sees the entry of Noel and Liam Gallagher for the first time.

The football icon, along with his wife Victoria, 52, has accrued a staggering £1.185 billion in wealth, more than doubling their financial standing since last year.

The Gallagher siblings also debut on the Sunday Times Rich List with an impressive £375 million fortune.

Oasis icons Noel, 58, and Liam, 53, saw their finances soar after their comeback tour last year, earning close to £400 million at the box office and paving the way for the sale of their song rights.

They are poised for yet another financial surge when Steven Knight, the creator of The Peaky Blinders, launches his documentary on the reunion concerts.

The Sunday Times Rich List 2026

• Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja and family — £38bn (up from £35.304bn). They remain the UK’s wealthiest family for the fifth year running.
• David and Simon Reuben and family — £27.971bn (up from £26.873bn).
• Sir Leonard Blavatnik — £26.852bn (up from £25.725bn).
• Idan Ofer — £24.481bn (up from £20.121bn).
• Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family — £18.939bn (up from £17.746bn). Owners of Primark and Fortnum & Mason.
• Christopher Harborne — £18.177bn (new entry). Political donor under investigation for a £5million contribution to Nigel Farage.
• Nik Storonsky — £16.411bn (up from £6.978bn). Chief Executive Officer of the financial powerhouse Revolut.
• Alex Gerko — £16.006bn (up from £8.745bn).
• Sir Jim Ratcliffe — £15.194bn (down from £17.046bn). Co-owner of Manchester United and previously the UK’s richest man in 2018.
• Igor and Dmitry Bukhman — £14.26bn (up from £12.54bn).
• Kirsten and Jorn Rausing — £12.6bn (up from £12.514bn).
• Michael Platt — £12.481bn (down from £12.5bn).
• Sir James Dyson and family — £12bn (down from £20.8bn). Innovator and founder of the vacuum powerhouse Dyson.
• Lord Bamford and family — £10.318bn (up from £9.45bn).
• Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho — £10.215bn (up from £10.09bn).
• Barnaby and Merlin Swire and family — £9.736bn (up from £9.254bn).
• Denise, John and Peter Coates — £9.728bn. Proprietors of the sports betting empire bet365.

The dizzying rise of The Beckhams, now positioned at 141st on the list, can be attributed to various business endeavours, including Victoria’s fashion label and their successful production company, especially with the hit Netflix documentary.

The influential duo has also sealed numerous commercial agreements with brands like Adidas, Pepsi, Armani, Coty, which launched Beckham’s Instinct fragrance, and the Las Vegas Sands hotel chain.

A significant part of the Manchester United icon’s newfound wealth stems from his American football club, Inter Miami, founded in 2018, with Beckham holding a 26% ownership stake.

The widely acclaimed team continues to expand, drawing attention with star players such as Lionel Messi and former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez.

The richest person overall on the list is Soviet-born entrepreneur Sir Leonard Blavatnik, who built his empire from beginnings as an oligarch to endeavours in music, entertainment, and chemicals.

The leading family in wealth is Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja – the siblings helm the vast Hinduja Group, with ventures crossing finance, energy, technology, and transport.

They have been the UK's wealthiest family for five consecutive years.

The annual Sunday Times Rich List delivers an in-depth portrayal of wealth across the UK.

It evaluates the wealth of the 350 richest individuals in the UK using criteria such as land, properties, and additional assets like art or racehorses, along with significant stakes in publicly traded companies.

Ranked just five places behind Sir David is The Apprentice star Lord Sugar, 79, whose business acumen in property has led to a fortune of £1.1 billion.

The legendary Beatles figure, Sir Paul McCartney, 83, is the top music icon on the list with £1.05 billion.

The beloved musician, who's soon releasing a new solo record, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, continues to benefit immensely from The Beatles’ classic tracks.

Their music has seen renewed popularity, with covers like The Beatles’ 1969 song Blackbird featuring on Beyonce’s latest album.

Additional music greats on the list include Sir Elton John with £480 million, and Rolling Stones legends Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards both at No284 with £450 million each.

Music industry powerhouse Simon Cowell follows closely at 297, having accrued £450 million in wealth.

Queen legends Brian May and Roger Taylor also make an appearance at position 335, with both possessing £360 million each.

Their wealth significantly increased following the 2024 sale of Queen’s music collection to Song for £1 billion.

This deal was the largest of its kind in music history for a single artist’s collections, encompassing recordings, publishing, and merchandise, while Brian and Roger retain their live earnings.

In the film domain, Harry Potter author and advocate for women’s rights, JK Rowling’s substantial fortune of £975 million places her at 159th on the list.

An upcoming HBO series based on her children’s books, set to be released next year, could soon catapult her to billionaire status.

Actress Claudia Schiffer, 55, appears at No 312 alongside her film producer spouse, Matthew Vaughn, with a shared fortune of £403 million.

The Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels producer has achieved financial success with his Kingsman series and founded a production house with football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo last year.

Sports figures have also found themselves on the list, including boxing promoter duo Barry and Eddie Hearn, whose combined fortune of £1.035 billion places them at No 154.

Seven-time Formula 1 winning star Lewis Hamilton, recently noted for dating reality TV figure Kim Kardashian, is also included, boasting £435 million in wealth.

The Sunday Times has additionally introduced a “40 under 40 list”.

The wealthiest young musician globally, Ed Sheeran, 35, ranks 14th with his £410 million fortune, attributed to music royalties and wide-reaching tours.

Pop sensation Harry Styles, worth £235 million, now ranks 15th, setting the stage for a lavish wedding to partner Zoe Kravitz, who was recently seen sporting a sparkling engagement ring.

The former One Direction member, 32, also markets his own line, Pleasing, known for nail polishes.

Singer-songwriter Adele, 38, claims the 28th spot with £172 million, while the pop star Dua Lipa, 30, ranks 32nd with £150 million.

Fresh from his second triumph at the Masters, Northern Irish golf star Rory McIlroy, 37, boasts £325 million, making him the wealthiest young sports figure.

He is closely followed by boxer Anthony Joshua, 36, with a net worth of £240 million.

Newly entering the list is boxer Tyson Fury, 37, poised to walk his daughter Venezuela down the aisle this summer. He places 29th with £163 million, following a number of profitable bouts for Netflix.

The list also includes footballer Harry Kane with £110 million and tennis player Sir Andy Murray with £110 million.

Fashion remains a key driver of wealth among young magnates.

The leading fashion powerhouse on the list is Ben Francis, 33, who left Aston University to devote himself to his venture, Gymshark.

Mastering hoodie creation through sewing lessons from his family, he now holds a net worth of £800 million.

Robert Watts, the architect behind The Sunday Times Rich List, remarked: “The striking diversity within our 40 under 40 list is evident.

“Some possess PhDs while others left school with grades they prefer not to recall.

“We have overnight success stories who swiftly established businesses worth £1 billion, and others who quietly persevered for years at minimum wage before finding success.”

The team compiled this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, inspired by a legendary Sun front page from the 1992 general election.