Iconic TIME magazine has revealed its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
The issue has four worldwide covers, each highlighting a member of the TIME100: actor Zoe Saldaña, comedian Nikki Glaser, actor Wagner Moura, and singer-songwriter Luke Combs.
The TIME100 list includes pairings of the list members and the guest contributors TIME selects to write about them.
The twenty-third annual list features: Dakota Johnson by Taylor Swift, Ralph Lauren by Oprah Winfrey, Pope Leo XIV by Martin Scorsese, Victoria Beckham by Anna Wintour, Mashama Bailey by Kamala Harris, Luke Combs by Ed Sheeran, Hilary Knight by Malala Yousafzai, Kate Hudson by Mindy Kaling, Lando Norris by Paris Hilton, and more.
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TIME reveals its 2026 100 most influential people
TIME Chief Executive Officer Jessica Sibley said: “The 2026 TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people recognizes the leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are redefining the future.
“We are honored to convene this extraordinary global community at this year’s TIME100 Summit and Gala, alongside our incredible partners, to spotlight their impact.”
TIME Editor in Chief Sam Jacobs wrote in his email to readers:
“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.”
Image: TIME
TIME 100 Influential People List 2026
At 20, Alysa Liu is the youngest person on this year’s list. The oldest person on this year’s list is Dolores Huerta, who is 96 years old.
Global leaders and policymakers on this year’s list include Pope Leo XIV, Mette Frederiksen, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Xi Jinping, Tarique Rahman, and Benjamin Netanyahu.
U.S. political figures and public leaders on this year’s list include Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani.
Business, technology, and AI leaders on this year’s list include Gwynne Shotwell, Dario Amodei, Daniela Amodei, Sundar Pichai, Neal Mohan, MrBeast, C.C. Wei, and Lip-Bu Tan.
Science, space, and health innovators featured include Reid Wiseman, Tony Tyson, Kiran Musunuru, Precious Matsoso, Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari, and Mariangela Hungria.
Advocates and changemakers on this year’s list include Shirin Ebadi, Dolores Huerta, Kica Matos, Mamadou Amadou Ly, Zabib Musa Loro, and Sabrina Walter.
Entertainers featured on this year’s list include Ben Stiller, Benicio Del Toro, Zoe Saldaña, Ethan Hawke, Kate Hudson, Dakota Johnson, Ranbir Kapoor, Claire Danes, Keke Palmer, Sterling K. Brown, Noah Wyle, Wagner Moura, and Nikki Glaser.
Musicians on this year’s list include Luke Combs, Jennie, Rauw Alejandro, and Noah Kahan.
Athletes on this year’s list include Chloe Kim, Lando Norris, Noah Lyles, Hilary Knight, and Alysa Liu.
Visionaries in fashion, visual, literary, and culinary arts include Ralph Lauren, Victoria Beckham, Matthieu Blazy, Anok Yai, Vikas Khanna, Mashama Bailey, Lynsey Addario, Cao Fei, Tayari Jones, and Yiyun Li.
Top image: TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2026
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