The 2026 ESPY Awards will honor top athletic achievements at the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, New York City. The ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and will broadcast live on ABC and stream on ESPN+. It will also be available for next-day streaming on Hulu, Disney+, the ESPN App, and ABC Video on Demand.
Comedian Marcello Hernández will host the event for the first time.
Among the prominent nominees are Jalen Brunson, Myles Garrett, Alysa Liu, Matthew Stafford, Rory McIlroy, Lionel Messi, Shohei Ohtani, Mikaela Shiffrin, Victor Wembanyama, and A'ja Wilson. Several athletes are recognized as first-time nominees, including Bam Adebayo, Lauren Betts, Macklin Celebrini, Hannah Hidalgo, Drake Maye, Fernando Mendoza, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Jalen Brunson, who led the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973, is nominated in three categories: Best Athlete – Men's Sports, Best Championship Performance, and Best NBA Player. The Knicks are also among the nominees for Best Team.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani also received three nominations: Best Athlete – Men's Sports, Best Single-Game Performance, and Best MLB Player. Ohtani is the reigning Best MLB Player winner, having secured the award for the fifth consecutive year in 2025.
In the Best Athlete – Women's Sports category, A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and alpine ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin are both vying for a second win. Wilson made history in 2025 by becoming the first player in WNBA or NBA history to win the regular season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP, and a scoring title in the same season. Shiffrin holds the record as the first athlete to achieve 100 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup victories.
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett is nominated for Best NFL Player and Best Record-Breaking Performance for his NFL single-season sack record of 23 in 2025. If he wins Best NFL Player, Garrett would be the sole defensive player to receive the award.
The Texas Longhorns softball team, winners of the Women's College World Series for the second year in a row, are nominated for Best Team. They are seeking their first team ESPY win.
Separately, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry was honored with the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award. Curry, along with his wife Ayesha, received the award for the work of their "Eat Learn Play" foundation. He described the recognition as "super surreal" and expressed pride in the foundation's seven years of impact in Oakland.