TIME magazine on Wednesday released its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2026, and a few athletes made the list, with the writeups on each athlete’s contribution to the culture. Below are some excerpts from their profiles:
PGA Tour player SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Former NFLer TONY ROMO wrote to see a “young player” like Scheffler become this “dominant is rare, especially in golf -- unless you have something special inside of you.” Romo and Scheffler play “a lot of golf together,” and his “commitment to his craft -- and his love of the game -- is impressive.”
Olympic figure skater ALYSA LIU: Comedian BOWEN YANG wrote Liu can be “so casual about being the best in the world,” and she has “somehow made her triumphs feel unsentimental to herself but meaningful to everyone else.”
Olympic snowboarder CHLOE KIM: Olympic gymnast SUNISA LEE wrote what she loves about Kim “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.” She is 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.”
U.S. women’s hockey and Seattle Torrent F HILARY KNIGHT: Nobel Peace prize laureate MALALA YOUSAFZAI wrote Knight is the “greatest player in the history of women’s hockey,” but 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 PWHL “from the ground up -- and ensured the road will be easier for the next generation.”
F1 driver LANDO NORRIS: American philanthropist and media personality PARIS HILTON wrote what make Norris 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.”
Olympic sprinter NOAH LYLES: Fashion designer WILLY CHAVARRIA wrote Lyles represents “a kind of modern excellence” that transcends sport of track & field. In many ways, Lyles is “redefining strength for a new generation through openly talking about his experiences with mental health, while also being expressive and unapologetically himself” (TIME, 4/15 issue).
