Image rights in 2026: why the line between salary and IP is finally disappearing

Five years ago, image-rights clauses were the last item negotiated in a senior player contract — often handled by a separate legal team and a separate company structure. In 2026, they are increasingly the first. Top players entering new deals now expect a single, integrated commercial framework covering club marketing, individual sponsorship, social-media output and likeness rights for video games and AI-generated content.

Two forces are driving the shift. The first is the rise of player-owned media: a meaningful share of elite athletes now operate their own production companies, and they need contractual clarity on what footage and which appearances they control. The second is the growing scrutiny from European tax authorities on image-rights structures that no longer match commercial reality.

For agencies, the practical implication is that commercial and legal counsel can no longer sit in different rooms. Career architecture in 2026 means designing a player's earning structure across club salary, image rights, partnerships and post-career equity as a single, coherent portfolio.