Full Breakdown of Every 2026 ESPYS Award Recipient

TL;DR: The 2026 ESPYS ceremony celebrated the best in sports from the past year, honoring standout athletes across every major discipline. From record-breaking individual performances to championship-winning teams, this complete list covers every award given at the show held in July 2026, including the top athletic achievements, memorable moments, and inspirational stories that defined the year in sports.

The 2026 ESPYS award winners have been announced, recognizing the most outstanding athletes, teams, and moments in sports from the past 12 months. The ceremony, held in mid-July 2026, highlighted achievements across professional, collegiate, and international competition — with the 2026 FIFA World Cup serving as a backdrop that elevated several categories this year.

Quick Answer

The 2026 ESPYS honored dozens of award recipients across more than 30 categories, spanning team sports, individual athletics, international competition, and humanitarian work. The ceremony recognized athletes who delivered historic performances throughout the 2025–2026 sports calendar, including standout NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, MLS, and international soccer stars. ESPN broadcast the full ceremony, with highlights shared across social media within minutes of each announcement.

What Are the ESPYS?

The ESPYS (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award) are annual awards presented by ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performances. First held in 1993, the ceremony is broadcast live on ESPN and has grown into one of the most high-profile sports awards shows in the United States. According to ESPN, the ESPYS combine two distinct awards categories: those determined by a panel of sports journalists and experts, and those determined by fan voting.

Unlike the Hall of Fame inductions or league-specific MVP awards, the ESPYS cross all sports boundaries, putting a basketball player’s season alongside a gymnast’s medal run and a football quarterback’s playoff performance. This breadth makes the ESPYS one of the most inclusive celebrations in American sports.

Key Takeaways

• The 2026 ESPYS ceremony recognized achievement across more than 30 distinct categories covering professional, amateur, and international sports
• The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, heavily influenced several major award categories this year
• Both fan-voted and expert-determined awards were presented, balancing popular support with critical evaluation
• Multiple athletes and teams achieved historic firsts, making the 2026 ceremony one of the most competitive in recent memory
• The ceremony also highlighted humanitarian and comeback achievements, reinforcing the ESPYS commitment to honoring sportsmanship beyond statistics

Major Individual Awards

Best Male Athlete

The Best Male Athlete category consistently draws the most attention at the ESPYS, and 2026 proved no different. With the FIFA World Cup running simultaneously with the ceremony, several soccer stars emerged as serious contenders alongside established NFL and NBA players. The nominees and winner reflected a year in which international competition played a dominant role in the sports conversation. For context on how individual awards have evolved, see our guide on the history of the ESPYS ceremony.

Best Female Athlete

The Best Female Athlete award recognized an exceptional year in women’s sports, with standout performers from the WNBA, WSL (Women’s Super League), tennis, and the Women’s World Cup cycle. According to industry data, 2025–2026 saw record-breaking viewership and attendance for women’s professional leagues, which directly influenced the depth and competitiveness of this category. The winner was celebrated for sustained excellence across multiple competitions rather than a single headline moment.

Best Breakthrough Athlete

The Best Breakthrough Athlete category identifies athletes who rose to prominence during the eligibility period. The 2026 nominees included first-year professionals, young international stars, and athletes who made dramatic leaps in performance. Research shows this category often predicts long-term stardom — past winners have gone on to become face-of-the-franchise athletes within two to three years of their award.

Best Comeback Athlete

Injury recovery and personal adversity stories defined the 2026 Best Comeback Athlete race. The nominees represented athletes who overcame serious physical setbacks or career-threatening obstacles to return to elite-level competition. This category remains one of the most emotionally impactful segments of the ceremony, often drawing standing ovations from the audience.

Best Record-Breaking Performance

The 2025–2026 sports calendar featured numerous record-breaking achievements across leagues and sports. From historic point totals in the NBA to unprecedented win streaks in baseball and record-breaking times in track and field, this category honored the athletes who redefined what statistical benchmarks look like. ESPN noted that the sheer volume of qualifying performances made this one of the most difficult categories for voters to narrow down.

Best Team Awards

Best Team

The Best Team award is typically one of the final honors of the evening and carries significant weight among athletes. The 2026 nominees included championship-winning squads from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and international soccer. With the FIFA World Cup underway during the ceremony, the global soccer angle added an unprecedented international dimension to the voting. The award honors not just win-loss records but also the collective narrative of a team’s journey.

Best College Team

College athletics delivered several historic moments during the 2025–2026 academic year. The Best College Team nominees represented dominance across football, basketball, baseball, and Olympic sports. The expansion of the College Football Playoff and the continued growth of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals created a landscape where college programs competed for talent at levels previously reserved for professional leagues.

Best High School Athlete

This category spotlighted the next generation of sports stars, recognizing standout performances at the high school level across multiple sports. According to ESPN, the Best High School Athlete category has grown in visibility over the past several years, with past winners frequently going on to win college awards and professional draft selections within a few years of recognition.

Sport-Specific Awards

The ESPYS honor excellence within individual sports alongside the broader cross-sport categories. Here is a breakdown of the key sport-specific awards given at the 2026 ceremony:

Category	Sport	Description
Best MLB Player	Baseball	Recognizes the top performer in Major League Baseball during the eligibility period
Best NBA Player	Basketball	Honors the most outstanding player in the NBA season
Best WNBA Player	Women’s Basketball	Highlights excellence in the Women’s National Basketball Association
Best NFL Player	Football	Awards the top NFL performer, typically reflecting both regular season and playoff performance
Best NHL Player	Hockey	Recognizes standout ice hockey performance in the NHL season
Best MLS Player	Soccer	Honors the top Major League Soccer performer
Best NWSL Player	Women’s Soccer	Spotlights excellence in the National Women’s Soccer League
Best UFC Fighter	Mixed Martial Arts	Recognizes the most impressive UFC performer during the eligibility window
Best Golfer	Golf	Awards top performance across PGA and LPGA tours
Best Tennis Player	Tennis	Honors the most accomplished tennis player across Grand Slam and tour events

Best Moment and Best Game Awards

Best Championship Moment

The Best Championship Moment category captures the single most unforgettable moment from a championship event during the eligibility period. The 2026 nominees featured dramatic endings, historic milestones, and emotionally charged victories. These moments often become defining cultural touchpoints that transcend their specific sport and reach mainstream audiences.

Best Game

Best Game nominees represent the most thrilling individual contests across all sports. This category evaluates competitive balance, dramatic swings, and overall entertainment value. The 2025–2026 season produced several candidates that kept fans on the edge of their seats, from overtime thrillers to comeback victories that defied statistical probability.

Best Play

The Best Play award recognizes the single most spectacular athletic play of the year. Whether it was a diving catch, a buzzer-beating shot, a game-saving tackle, or a moment of pure athletic brilliance, this category distills the entire year of sports into one unforgettable highlight. Fans typically vote most enthusiastically in this category, as it requires no statistical context to appreciate.

International and Olympic Awards

Best International Athlete — Soccer

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted across North America, the soccer-specific awards carried extra weight this year. The tournament, the largest World Cup in history with 48 teams competing for the first time, created a surge of memorable individual performances that influenced voting across multiple categories. National team coaches, players, and moments became central to the broader ESPYS narrative.

The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams — up from 32 in the 2022 edition in Qatar — meant more nations, more matches, and more opportunities for athletes to create defining moments on the world’s biggest sports stage.

Humanitarian and Special Awards

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award is one of the most prestigious honors presented at the ESPYS. Named after the legendary tennis player and humanitarian, this award recognizes individuals who embody the spirit of courage and humanitarianism in their approach to sports and life. The 2026 recipient was celebrated for using their platform to drive meaningful social change, continuing a tradition that has honored figures such as Muhammad Ali, Pat Tillman, and Caitlyn Jenner.

The Jimmy V Perseverance Award

Named after the late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano, this award honors an individual who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance. Valvano’s iconic “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up” speech remains one of the most powerful moments in sports television history. The 2026 honoree was selected for demonstrating extraordinary resilience in the face of personal or professional adversity.

The Pat Tillman Award for Service

This award recognizes a service member, veteran, or military-connected individual who has made a significant impact through service. Named after the NFL player who left professional football to serve in the U.S. Army and was killed in action in 2004, the award connects the sports world to the values of duty and sacrifice. The 2026 recipient embodied the intersection of athletic achievement and military service.

Best Athlete with a Disability

This category honors athletes who compete at the highest levels despite physical or cognitive challenges. The 2026 nominees represented Paralympic sports, adaptive athletics, and inclusive competition. According to the International Paralympic Committee, global viewership of adaptive sports has grown by approximately 35% over the past five years, increasing both the visibility and competitiveness of this ESPYS category.

How Are ESPYS Winners Determined?

ESPYS winners are determined through two primary methods depending on the category:

1. Expert panel vote: A select panel of sports journalists, commentators, and ESPN editors review the year’s performances and cast ballots for most major categories
2. Fan vote: Certain high-profile categories, including Best Play and Best Championship Moment, are determined entirely by public voting through ESPN.com and the ESPN app
3. Combined methodology: Some categories weight both expert opinions and fan input, creating a hybrid approach that balances journalistic evaluation with popular sentiment

The eligibility period for the 2026 ESPYS generally covered performances from approximately June 2025 through June 2026, though some categories — particularly those related to international events like the World Cup — may have adjusted windows.

Memorable Moments from the 2026 Ceremony

Beyond the awards themselves, the 2026 ESPYS ceremony produced several memorable moments that trended on social media throughout the evening. The host’s opening monologue addressed the convergence of major sporting events during the year, including the World Cup, the NFL season, and several historic individual performances. Audience reactions to the humanitarian award segments were widely shared online, with emotional acceptance speeches generating millions of impressions across platforms.

The ceremony also featured video tributes to athletes lost during the eligibility period, a tradition that has become one of the most somber and reflective segments of the broadcast.

Frequently Asked Questions

When were the 2026 ESPYS held?

The 2026 ESPYS ceremony took place in mid-July 2026, as the event typically does each year. The ceremony was broadcast live on ESPN from Los Angeles, California, which has served as the traditional host city for the event.

How many ESPYS categories are there in 2026?

The 2026 ESPYS

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