For the last six years, Ball and former Match of the Day host Gary Lineker have topped the star salaries list, but both exited their respective shows last year.
Lineker left the BBC last summer after sharing an Instagram reel that featured an antisemitic illustration, for which he apologised. He has gone on to sign new contracts with ITV and Netflix.
His former role on Match of the Day was split when he left and the show is now hosted by three presenters, who are individually paid significantly less than Lineker was.
Mark Chapman was paid around £335,000, Gabby Logan made £290,000, and Kelly Cates earned £215,000 – considerably lower than Lineker’s £1.3m even when combined.
However, all of the new trio’s salaries represent a wide variety of sports presenting work across the BBC, not just Match of the Day.
Laura Kuenssberg‘s salary increased slightly this year, taking in her Sunday morning programme and Weekend Newscast, as well as a weekly column on the BBC News website.
On the Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, Justin Webb is now the highest paid presenter, earning around £375,000 for hosting that and Americast.
Nick Robinson‘s salary dropped by about £80,000, in a year that saw the Today podcast, which he co-hosted, come to an end.