mortgage broker.co.uk

Mortgages for Sports Professionals

Written by Simon Baker BSc (Hons)  |  Reviewed by The Complete Mortgage Shop, FCA regulated (FRN 728880)  |  Last updated 16 June 2026

Professional athletes present a specific challenge to mainstream mortgage lenders: high current income, an income structure that spans employment contracts, image rights companies and performance bonuses, and a career that lenders perceive as short relative to a standard mortgage term. Specialist lenders and knowledgeable brokers understand that career earnings and asset accumulation during peak earning years make sports professionals creditworthy borrowers.

Fixed-Term Contracts and Lender Concerns

Most professional athletes — in football, rugby, cricket, tennis and other sports — work on fixed-term contracts of one to three years. A lender’s concern is straightforward: what happens to the income when the contract expires? For players in their twenties with a strong career record, contract renewal is the expected outcome — but a lender’s credit model does not automatically assume it.

Specialist lenders will lend on the basis of a current contract, looking at income during the contract term and making a pragmatic assessment of the likelihood of ongoing earnings based on the player’s age, career level and sport. Some private banks will go further, structuring lending around expected lifetime career earnings. A whole-of-market broker can identify which lenders take the most pragmatic approach for your specific situation.

Image Rights Companies

Many professional athletes — particularly in football, but also in other high-profile sports — receive a portion of their income through an image rights company: a limited company set up to receive commercial income from sponsorship, personal appearances, endorsements and social media.

Image rights income is assessed as director income: the lender looks at the salary and dividends drawn from the image rights company over the last two years, alongside the SA302 returns. For a player whose image rights income is substantial, presenting both the club salary and image rights income correctly can significantly increase the mortgage available. A broker who understands how image rights companies work can ensure both income streams are evidenced and assessed together.

Signing-On Fees and Bonus Income

Signing-on fees are lump sum payments made on transfer or contract signature, sometimes payable in instalments over the contract period. Most lenders will not include signing-on fees in their affordability assessment as they are non-recurring. Performance bonuses, appearance fees and international match fees are treated more flexibly — lenders who are experienced with athlete income will average these over recent history rather than excluding them.

Longer Mortgage Terms and Post-Career Planning

A standard 25-year mortgage term may extend well beyond a professional athlete’s playing career. Lenders who specialise in athlete lending understand this and may structure products with higher repayments during the high-earning years, or with capital and interest terms designed to ensure the property is significantly paid down before income reduces.

Buy-to-let investment is popular among professional athletes as a means of generating income after retirement from professional sport. Investing during high-earning years and holding a portfolio of income-generating properties is a well-established strategy. See our buy-to-let mortgage guide for how rental portfolio income is assessed alongside professional income.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do lenders treat a professional athlete’s fixed-term contract?

Fixed-term employment contracts are treated differently by different lenders. Some require the remaining term to be at least six to twelve months; others assess career history and renewal likelihood. A broker can identify lenders with experience of professional sports contracts who take a pragmatic view on contract length.

Can image rights income be included in mortgage affordability?

Image rights income paid through a personal service company is assessed as director salary and dividends. Company accounts and SA302 returns are required. Not all lenders include image rights income alongside match fees or salary. A specialist broker can identify those who will aggregate both income streams.

How should professional athletes plan mortgage lending after retirement?

Post-career income from coaching, media work or business ownership is assessed on the same basis as any employed or self-employed borrower. Athletes with buy-to-let portfolios built during their playing years can use rental income to support or replace earned income for mortgage affordability after retirement.

Getting the Right Mortgage as a Sports Professional

The key to a successful mortgage application as an athlete is a broker who understands the income structure from the outset and presents the application to a lender who has experience with sports professionals. A poorly prepared application sent to the wrong lender will fail, while the same application correctly packaged and sent to a specialist will succeed.

To speak to a qualified adviser, please submit an online enquiry or call 0800 310 1340.

YOUR HOME IS AT RISK IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR OTHER LOAN SECURED ON IT.