Award-winning sports journalist Rebecca Wilson has died in Sydney from breast cancer, aged 54.

She passed away at the family home in the early hours of Friday after a long battle with the disease, her husband, former News Ltd chief executive John Hartigan, and sons Tom and Will said in a joint statement.

"Courage has always been a significant part of her DNA, no less in her desperate battle against her insidious disease," the family said.

"Rebecca kept knowledge of her illness a closely guarded secret.