CNBC's Most Valuable Sports Empires 2026: Here's how the world's top 20 stack up

The world's 20 most valuable sports empires are worth a combined $269 billion, 20% more than a year ago. The increase in sports empire valuations has been fueled by escalating prices for sports properties. In March, Stephen Ross sold 1% of his sports portfolio — which includes controlling stakes in the NFL's Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and a Formula 1 race as well as a minority stake in the Miami Open tennis tournament — at a record $12.5 billion valuation. CNBC pegs the control valuation for Ross' share of these assets to be worth $15.23 billion, 59% more than a year ago. Ross moves up to No. 6 on this year's sports empires ranking, from No. 15 last year. In October, Mark Walter, who houses his sports assets inside the holding company TWG Global , purchased the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers for $10 billion, the richest price ever paid for a control stake in a sports team, according to people familiar with the deal, who asked not to be named because the matter is private. Other sports properties in TWG's portfolio include MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, the English soccer team Chelsea, the Cadillac Formula 1 team and the Professional Women's Hockey League. TWG didn't qualify for CNBC's sports empires list a year ago. But after the purchase of the Lakers, TWG's share of its sports assets are worth a combined $14.26 billion, good enough for eighth place this year. …