The 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026

June 9, 2026

This is TIME’s inaugural TIME100 Sports list, released June 9, 2026, recognizing the 100 most influential figures shaping global sports. The list spans athletes, executives, owners, media personalities, and leaders across athletics, business, and digital platforms, reflecting sports’ worldwide reach and diverse impact.

The honorees include legendary athletes of their generation such as LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Shohei Ohtani, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Rory McIlroy, Mikaela Shiffrin, Victor Wembanyama, and Eileen Gu. The list prominently features women making impactful contributions across athletics, media, business, ownership, and leadership—including Alex Morgan, Lindsey Vonn, Michele Kang, Clara Wu Tsai, Dawn Staley, Nneka Ogwumike, and Amanda Serrano. Behind-the-scenes power players include founders and executives like Michael Jordan, Ed Stack (Dick’s Sporting Goods), Stephen M. Ross, Michael Rubin, and David Mulugheta.

Media and digital figures also earned recognition, including Pat McAfee, Bill Simmons, Shams Charania, Mike Tirico, and digital creator IShowSpeed. The list emphasizes global representation with honorees like Erling Haaland, Carlos Alcaraz, Prince Harry (Duke of Sussex), Aitana Bonmatí, Jannik Sinner, and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe. TIME will host the first TIME100 Sports Gala on July 16 in New York City, and the list appears in the June 22, 2026, issue. Time