Athletes on Time magazine’s 2026 list of 100 most influential icons

Q: Who are the athletes on Time magazine's 2026 list of the 100 most influential people?

The list includes six world-class athletes, among them five Olympians.

Q: What criteria does Time magazine use to select the 100 most influential people?

The final results are determined through a debate among American academics, politicians, and journalists.

Q: How many Olympians were included in the 2026 list of influential people?

Five Olympians were included in the 2026 list of the 100 most influential people.

It’s that time of year again, when Time magazine selects its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Six world-class and noteworthy athletes made the cut, including five Olympians.

This has become a major honor since Time magazine published its first 100 list in 1999.

MORE: Olympic champ Alysa Liu praises Taylor Swift at iHeartRadio Music Awards

The final results are decided following a debate among American academics, politicians, and journalists.

Time magazine Editor in Chief Sam Jacobs: “Since I became editor three years ago, we’ve been dedicated to bringing that community together around the world, which we will do again with the TIME100 Summit and TIME100 Gala in New York City later this month. Then, in June, we’ll release the inaugural TIME100 Sports list. This year has been dominated by two global sporting events, the Olympics and the World Cup, that underline how the business of sports and those who lead it are changing culture in unprecedented ways.”

The Time magazine 100 Sports list will be fascinating.

In his letter to readers, Jacobs adds, “There is no single metric that defines influence. Our selections are led by the stories that are shaping the world each year and the people who write them. Some are well known to many, others only within their fields…Few people, we suspect, will be familiar with all 100 individuals. We believe that is part of the appeal of the TIME100, now well into its third decade, and the reason it has endured. In recent years, we’ve been busy growing the TIME100 community by focusing on the areas we believe shape the future—including AI, Climate, Health, and Philanthropy, as well as emerging fields in which individuals, such as digital creators, are playing an outsize role….we are eager to see which of the individuals in this issue will still be wielding influence more than 50 years from today.”

Let’s look at the six athletes who made this year’s list.

Alysa Liu (Icon)

Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal in the women's free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images

Liu retired from figure skating at 16 — think about that. Then she took the world by storm with her incredible showing at the Milan Winter Games in 2026.

She is the 2026 Olympic champion in both women’s singles and in the team event. She was the 2025 World champion, the 2022 World bronze medalist, and the 2025–26 Grand Prix Final champion. She’s a two-time Grand Prix medalist, a four-time Challenger Series champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion.

Friend Bowen Yang of “Saturday Night Live” fame writes in his Time magazine essay about Liu: “How can someone be so casual about being the best in the world? That’s for Alysa Liu to know and the rest of us to witness in a screaming frenzy. She’s flipped her ponytail after finishing a historic program that won her an Olympic gold medal for figure skating and she shrugged off inane questions while sending a song to the top of the charts. She’s somehow made her triumphs feel unsentimental to herself but meaningful to everyone else.

Watching her from the stands in Milan, I felt so many inherited knots of expectation loosening: filial piety, social pressure, un-striped hair. That’s what great artists do: they make you reconsider what you’ve been carrying, and invite you to join them in being light on their feet.”

Noah Lyles (Innovator)

Noah Lyles

Lyles won the 100-meter gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and is also an eight-time World champion.

But not only was Lyles recognized for his performance, but for openly discussing mental health.

Lyles has posted on X that during his remarkable career, he has battled asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression.

Fashion designer writes about Lyles: “In many ways, he’s redefining strength for a new generation through openly talking about his experiences with mental health, while also being expressive and unapologetically himself. That idea connects deeply to my work as a designer. I’m always thinking about how clothing can amplify that energy, how it can honor a person’s story rather than compete with it.

Noah has that rare quality where he’s not simply running races, he’s shifting perception. He brings together style, discipline, and emotion in a way that feels powerful and necessary, and that’s incredibly inspiring to witness.”

Chloe Kim (Icon)

The American pro snowboarder is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, she became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal when she won gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe at 17 years old.

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Kim became the first woman to win two gold medals in halfpipe. She is a World, Olympic, Youth Olympic, and X Games champion in the halfpipe and the first snowboarder to win the title at all four major events.

American gymnast and fellow star Olympian Sunisa Lee writes: “What I love about Chloe is that she doesn’t pretend it’s easy. She embraces the grind of Olympic snowboarding and still brings so much style, confidence, and personality to everything she does.

This past year, she’s continued to show what it means to compete on your own terms. Chloe has been open about the pressures of elite sports and unapologetic about protecting her mental health. That kind of honesty is powerful, especially for young athletes who are watching and learning what success can actually look like. She’s showing young girls everywhere that they belong in spaces where they may not always see themselves, and that they can succeed without changing who they are.”

MORE: Olympic star Chloe Kim swoons over heartwarming poem from NFL star Myles Garrett

Scottie Scheffler (Titan)

Scottie Scheffler holds up his trophy at the green jacket ceremony after winning the Masters on April 14, 2024.

He isn’t even 30 yet (June 21), but Scheffler has become a titan of industry — the industry of professional golf.

Scheffler remains the No. 1-ranked player in the world (175 straight weeks and counting). This despite his runner-up finish at this year’s Masters. He’s won four major golf titles in his stellar career. He also won an Olympic gold at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.

MORE: Scottie Scheffler makes Masters history despite falling short in final round

Scheffler’s friend, CBS sports analyst and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Tomo, says, “From the moment I met Scottie Scheffler, I could tell he was mature beyond his years. To see a young player become this dominant is rare, especially in golf—unless you have something special inside of you. All of the time he has spent at the course all these years is a big reason he is so successful, but his faith and foundation are equally paramount. He has such a great perspective on everything. His faith is a strong component of why I believe he’s as great a player as he is. There’s a gift in that. It allows him to be freed up in high-pressure situations. He has a strong will and full belief in himself when he steps over a shot. We play a lot of golf together. His commitment to his craft—and his love of the game—is impressive. I think he’ll remain at the top for years to come because of the pure joy he has grabbing a golf club and hitting a golf ball. Although I’m going to beat him one day. I have every faith.”

Hilary Knight (Innovator)

Knight is considered the greatest player in the history of women’s hockey. She has two Olympic gold medals and holds all-time World Championship records for goals, assists, and points.

The 36-year-old forward couldn’t have had a better 2026 than at the Milan Winter Games. There, she won a gold medal while serving as Team USA’s captain. She was also a flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

MORE: All the news around Hilary Knight. Latest stories, pundit analysis, and more at The Big Lead

Writing about Knight, Malala Yousafzai, an education activist in Pakistan, says: “Her legacy extends far beyond the record books. A critical voice in the U.S. Women’s National Team’s fight for fair pay, Hilary advocated for better wages, investment in girls’ programs, and greater visibility for women’s teams. She helped build the Professional Women’s Hockey League from the ground up—and ensured the road will be easier for the next generation.”

Lando Norris (Innovator)

Lando Norris

Norris, the 26-year-old Englishman, won the F1 World Drivers’ Championship in 2025 with McLaren. He also has won 11 Grands Prix across eight seasons.

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Paris Hilton says of Norris: “I first met Lando Norris at F1 Miami, and I instantly loved his energy. He’s obviously incredibly talented, but what really makes him stand out is how kind, genuine, and down-to-earth he is. Even with all the pressure of the spotlight, he stays grounded, which is rare. Watching him become world champion in 2025 was honestly amazing. So well deserved, and such a major moment.”