TIME Reveals the 2026 TIME100 Next List of the Leaders Shaping the Future

Raye to Perform at the 2026 TIME100 Next Event in New York City on October 29 

NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, TIME reveals the 2026 TIME100 Next list recognizing the 100 most influential rising stars.

The 2026 TIME100 Next issue has three worldwide covers, each highlighting a member of the list: singer-songwriter Raye, actor Ashley Padilla, and comedian Druski.

• See the full 2026 TIME100 Next list, tributes, videos, and photos: here
• See all three TIME100 Next covers: here
• Credit: Art Direction and Set Art by Jana Frost for TIME; Photography by Stefano Giuliano for TIME

"The TIME100 Next brings together individuals whose work is defining the next generation of leadership," said TIME Chief Executive Officer Jessica Sibley. "This year's listmakers are pushing boundaries, creating new possibilities, and advancing their fields and communities around the world. We look forward to celebrating them at the TIME100 Next event with our partners Rolex, Toyota, Project Management Institute and Target."

TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs writes in his letter to readers: "We launched TIME100 Next in 2019 with the belief that the nature of influence was changing. When the TIME100 was born at the turn of this century, influence largely derived from traditional power structures and timing. We created TIME100 Next knowing that influence can now come early and, when it does, through channels that work outside the establishment."

Jacobs continues: "Our team spent months working with our editorial colleagues around the world, seeking out the individuals who best represent the stories shaping our world. Among the key themes: those working to increase access to education, individuals leading the AI revolution, leaders tackling immigration, and politicians seeking to create a new kind of leadership in their own countries and around the world." Read more here.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2026 TIME100 NEXT:

TIME selects guest contributors to write about members of the TIME100 Next list. Pairings for the 2026  list include: Tyrese Maxey by LeBron James, Arch Manning by Matthew McConaughey, Charles Melton by Natalie Portman, Alexandra Eala by Rafael Nadal, Raye by Anya Taylor-Joy, Wawira Njiru by Trevor Noah, Alex Consani by Charli xcx, Troye Sivan by Kylie Minogue, Gretchen Goldman by Bill Nye, Naomi Girma by Alex Morgan, Anna Menon by Jessica Meir, Lauren Ireland and Marianna Hewitt by Emma Grede, E.J. Lagasse by Eric Ripert, Tosin Eniolorunda by Tony Elumelu, and more.

Entertainers on this year's list include: Druski, Ashley Padilla, Charles Melton, Eiza González, Joey King, Chase Sui Wonders, Molly Gordon, Cooper Hoffman, Chase Infiniti, Himesh Patel, Sarah Pidgeon, Yerin Ha, Marisa Abela, Paapa Essiedu, Dominic Sessa, Isa Briones, Joshua Henry, Katie Dippold, and Curry Barker.

Musicians on this year's list include: Raye, Troye Sivan, PinkPantheress, Megan Moroney, Conan Gray, Alex Warren, and Sombr.

Athletes on this year's list include: Arch Manning, Tyrese Maxey, Naomi Girma, Alexandra Eala, Folarin Balogun, Olivia Miles, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Fashion, arts, media, literary, and culinary figures on this year's list include: Alex Consani, Robert Wun, Ben Collins, Daniella Kallmeyer, Claire Tabouret, Caro Claire Burke, E.J. Lagasse, Sasha Gordon, Emily Sundberg, and Annie Shi.

Business, technology, and AI leaders on this year's list include: Luana Lopes Lara, Tarek Mansour, Yang Zilin, Max Jaderberg, Lauren Ireland, Marianna Hewitt, Michael D. Ratner, Michael Truell, Tosin Eniolorunda, Rati Sahi Levesque, Pawan Kumar Chandana, Hosam Arab, Yotam Segev, Brendan Foody, Julia Reichelstein, and Cristina Etcheberry.

U.S. political figures and public leaders on this year's list include: Andy Kim, Jake Auchincloss, Maxwell Frost, Katie Britt, James Blair, and Andrew Ferguson.

Global leaders and policymakers on this year's list include: Peter Magyar, Heidi Reichinnek, Rob Jetten, Shamma Al Mazrui, Naama Lazimi, Martha Wangari Wanjira, Siviwe Gwarube, Luis Carlos Rúa, Shoko Kawata, and Anika Wells.

Science, space, and health innovators on this year's list include: Anna Menon, Yu Deng, Jane Burston, Mathilde Poyet, Mathieu Groussin, Marie-Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab, Katherine Dafforn, Adrien Bilal, and Olivier Nsengimana.

Advocates and changemakers on this year's list include: Shabana Basij-Rasikh, Wawira Njiru, Julian Aguon, Kaley Glenn-Mills, Gretchen Goldman, Skye Duncan, Isidora Uribe Silva, Pavel Talankin, Claudia Queragama, Conchita Cruz, Swapna Reddy, Ronaldo Salgado, Lorenzo Salgado Jr., Olsi Nika, and Besjana Guri.

While the TIME100 Next list has no age requirements, the youngest person on the 2026 list is cricket player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, age 15.

TIME TO CONVENE LEADERS FROM THE 2026 TIME100 NEXT IN NYC:

On October 29, TIME will host the sixth-annual TIME100 Next event to celebrate the individuals spotlighted on the 2026 list. The event, which takes place in New York City, will include a special musical performance by singer-songwriter Raye. 

The event will feature appearances from comedian and actor Druski, singer-songwriter Conan Gray, actor Eiza González, and more. The program will also include remarks from actor Ashley Padilla, Chief Marketing Officer of Project Management Institute Menaka Gopinath and more, as well as a special presentation of the TIME Earth Award to Saie Founder and CEO Laney Crowell.

The 2026 TIME100 Next event is presented by official timepiece Rolex and premier partner Toyota, who is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility for all. The event is also presented by signature partner Project Management Institute and official design partner Target.

About TIME

TIME is the 103-year-old global media brand that reaches audiences around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. With unparalleled access to the world's most influential people, the trust of consumers and partners globally, and an unrivaled power to convene, TIME's mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world. Today, TIME also includes the award-winning branded content studio and Emmy Award^®-winning film and television division TIME Studios; a significantly expanded live events business built on the powerful TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises and custom experiences; TIME for Kids, which provides trusted news with a focus on news literacy for kids and valuable resources for teachers and families; and more.

Media Contact
Angelica Tejada, TIME
[email protected] 

SOURCE TIME