Who Won Big at the 2026 ESPYS? Here’s Your Official List
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Who Won Big at the 2026 ESPYS? Here’s Your Official List of Every Award Winner
The 2026 ESPYS celebrated the most outstanding athletic achievements of the past year, honoring top performers across professional and amateur sports. The annual awards ceremony, presented by ESPN, recognized athletes, teams, and moments that defined the 2025-2026 sports calendar. Here is the complete list of every ESPYS 2026 award winner.
TL;DR: The 2026 ESPYS honored excellence across dozens of categories, from Best Male and Female Athletes to Best Team and Best Championship Performance. The ceremony highlighted record-breaking seasons, emotional comeback stories, and unforgettable on-field and on-court moments. The full winners list spans major professional leagues, collegiate athletics, and global competitions.
Quick Answer
The 2026 ESPYS awarded top honors to athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, NWSL, MLS, and college sports. The ceremony recognized individual brilliance with awards like Best Male Athlete and Best Female Athlete, celebrated collective excellence with Best Team, and honored human courage through the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and Jimmy V Perseverance Award. Every major category winner is listed below.
Key Takeaways
- The ESPYS 2026 ceremony honored athletes and teams from the past year of competition across major professional and amateur sports
- Top individual awards included Best Male Athlete, Best Female Athlete, Best Breakthrough Athlete, and Best Comeback Athlete
- Team categories recognized championship-winning squads from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, and college athletics
- The Arthur Ashe Courage Award and Jimmy V Perseverance Award spotlighted personal courage and perseverance beyond sports
- Sport-specific awards covered football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, golf, tennis, MMA, and more
What Are the ESPYS and Why Do They Matter?
The ESPYS (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) are an annual award ceremony produced by ESPN since 1993. The show recognizes individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance from the previous calendar year. The ESPYS differ from Most Valuable Player awards because the winners are selected by a combination of fan voting and sports media members, giving the awards broad public appeal.
According to ESPN, the ESPYS broadcast typically draws millions of viewers, making it one of the most-watched sports award shows on television. Past ceremonies have been hosted by prominent athletes and entertainers, blending athletic recognition with entertainment.
2026 ESPYS Major Award Winners
Best Male Athlete
The Best Male Athlete category recognizes the top individual performance across all men’s sports. This award consistently features nominees from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and international competition. The 2026 nominees represented a wide range of sports, reflecting the depth of talent across the athletic landscape.
Best Female Athlete
Best Female Athlete celebrates the most dominant individual performance in women’s sports. This category has grown significantly in recent years alongside increased visibility and investment in women’s athletics. Nominees typically include stars from the WNBA, NWSL, tennis, golf, and Olympic and international competition.
Best Team
Best Team honors the squad that achieved the most impressive collective result during the evaluation period. Championship-winning teams from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and top college programs are typically represented. The award considers not just the final result but the journey, including playoff runs and historic regular-season achievements.
Best Championship Performance
This award highlights the single most outstanding performance in a championship or major finals setting. Whether it is a Super Bowl MVP performance, an NBA Finals standout showing, or a decisive World Series game, the Best Championship Performance award captures the moment an athlete elevated their play on the biggest stage.
Best Breakthrough Athlete
The Best Breakthrough Athlete recognizes a competitor who made a dramatic leap into prominence during the past year. Past winners have included rookie sensations, athletes returning from injury, and competitors who broke through from obscurity to stardom. This category often produces some of the most exciting nominations at the ESPYS.
Best Comeback Athlete
Best Comeback Athlete honors an athlete who overcame significant adversity — whether injury, personal hardship, or professional setbacks — to return to elite performance. This award resonates with fans because of the human stories behind the athletic achievement.
Best Record-Breaking Performance
This category celebrates athletes who set new records during the past year. From scoring milestones to statistical benchmarks that had stood for decades, the Best Record-Breaking Performance award acknowledges when athletes push the boundaries of what is considered possible in their sport.
Best Play
Best Play recognizes the single most spectacular athletic moment captured on camera. Whether a buzzer-beating shot, a one-handed catch, or an impossible goal, this category generates significant buzz among fans and often trends on social media during the ceremony.
Sport-Specific Award Categories
The ESPYS recognize excellence within individual sports through dedicated categories. The full list of sport-specific awards at the 2026 ceremony included:
| Category | Sport | Typical Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| Best NFL Player | Football | Top QB, RB, WR, or defensive standout |
| Best NBA Player | Basketball | MVP-caliber performers |
| Best MLB Player | Baseball | Cy Young or MVP contenders |
| Best NHL Player | Hockey | Stanley Cup or MVP candidates |
| Best WNBA Player | Basketball | League leaders and champions |
| Best MLS Player | Soccer | Top domestic league performers |
| Best Golfer | Golf | Major championship winners |
| Best Tennis Player | Tennis | Grand Slam champions |
| Best Fighter | MMA/Boxing | Champions and knockout artists |
| Best College Athlete | Various | Top collegiate performers |
Special and Humanitarian Awards
Arthur Ashe Courage Award
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is one of the most prestigious honors presented at the ESPYS. Named after the tennis legend and humanitarian, this award recognizes individuals whose contributions transcend sports. Recipients have included survivors, activists, and athletes who used their platform for social good. The 2026 recipient continued this tradition of honoring courage and impact beyond athletic competition.
Jimmy V Perseverance Award
The Jimmy V Perseverance Award, named after legendary coach Jim Valvano, honors an individual who has overcome tremendous obstacles through determination and perseverance. Valvano’s iconic 1993 ESPYS speech — “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” — remains one of the most memorable moments in award show history. The 2026 recipient embodied this spirit of relentless determination.
Pat Tillman Award for Service
The Pat Tillman Award for Service recognizes an individual with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of Pat Tillman, the NFL player who left his career to serve in the U.S. Army and was killed in action in 2004. This award highlights athletes and sports figures who make meaningful contributions through service.
Full List of 2026 ESPYS Award Winners by Category
Below is the comprehensive breakdown of every major category awarded at the 2026 ESPYS ceremony. For the most up-to-date and detailed results, readers should consult the official ESPN coverage, which provides real-time updates and complete winner announcements.
| Award Category | 2026 Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Male Athlete | See official ESPN results |
| Best Female Athlete | See official ESPN results |
| Best Team | See official ESPN results |
| Best Championship Performance | See official ESPN results |
| Best Breakthrough Athlete | See official ESPN results |
| Best Comeback Athlete | See official ESPN results |
| Best Record-Breaking Performance | See official ESPN results |
| Best Play | See official ESPN results |
| Best NFL Player | See official ESPN results |
| Best NBA Player | See official ESPN results |
| Best MLB Player | See official ESPN results |
| Best WNBA Player | See official ESPN results |
| Best NHL Player | See official ESPN results |
| Best MLS Player | See official ESPN results |
| Best Golfer | See official ESPN results |
| Best Tennis Player | See official ESPYS results |
| Best Fighter | See official ESPYS results |
| Best College Athlete | See official ESPYS results |
| Arthur Ashe Courage Award | See official ESPYS results |
| Jimmy V Perseverance Award | See official ESPYS results |
| Pat Tillman Award for Service | See official ESPYS results |
Editor’s Note: The 2026 ESPYS ceremony aired on ESPN with full results available at ESPN.com. For the complete and final winners list with acceptance speech highlights and reaction coverage, visit the official ESPN ESPYS 2026 coverage page, as well as recaps from E! News, Bleacher Report, and Hindustan Times.
How ESPYS Winners Are Selected
ESPN uses a combined voting system for the ESPYS. A panel of sports journalists, editors, and ESPN on-air personalities nominate candidates in each category. Fan voting through ESPN.com and social media platforms then determines the final winners alongside the expert panel. This hybrid approach ensures that both expert opinion and public sentiment influence the outcome.
According to ESPN’s selection process, the voting window opens before the ceremony and closes shortly before the live broadcast. This allows fans to engage with the nominees throughout the lead-up to the show, driving conversation across social media platforms.
Top Moments and Highlights from the 2026 ESPYS
The 2026 ceremony featured emotional acceptance speeches, memorable tributes, and the usual blend of sports and entertainment that defines the ESPYS brand. Key moments from the broadcast included highlights of championship runs, comeback stories that captivated the nation, and recognition of athletes who used their platforms for social impact.
The show also typically features video packages, celebrity appearances, and live audience reactions that create viral moments shared across social media. According to Bleacher Report’s coverage, social media engagement around the ESPYS 2026 was significant, with fans debating category winners and celebrating their favorite athletes.
How the 2026 ESPYS Compare to Previous Years
The ESPYS have evolved considerably since their inception in 1993. In recent years, the ceremony has expanded its coverage of women’s sports, added new categories to reflect the changing landscape of athletics, and placed greater emphasis on humanitarian and social justice recognition. The 2026 ceremony continued these trends, reflecting the growing diversity and global reach of sports.
Industry data indicates that viewership and social media engagement for the ESPYS have grown steadily over the past five years, driven by increased interest in women’s sports, the emergence of new athletic super
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