Time's 100 Most Influential People in Sports for 2026

 

The New Face of Global Sports: Anna Leigh Waters Lands on TIME100 Sports List

How a 19-year-old pickleball prodigy took her place alongside global icons like LeBron James and Lionel Messi in TIME's inaugural power ranking.

When TIME magazine released its inaugural TIME100 Sports list on June 9, 2026, it wasn't just a celebration of household names—it was a definitive snapshot of how the sporting landscape is shifting. In an era where traditional sports are sharing the stage with rapidly growing community phenomena, 19-year-old pickleball sensation Anna Leigh Waters has officially broken through to the absolute mainstream. Named as one of the 100 most influential figures shaping global sports, Waters' inclusion highlights how a game once confined to cul-de-sacs and local parks has captured global cultural relevance.

From Hurricane Evacuee to the World's Best

Waters was placed in the prestigious "Innovators" category, a nod to the fact that she isn't just winning games; she is fundamentally changing the commercial footprint of her sport. Her journey to the top of the podium is a remarkable testament to rapid, undeniable dominance:

• The Accidental Discovery: Waters first picked up a paddle in 2017 when she was just 10 years old. Anna Leigh and her mother, Leigh, evacuated their Delray Beach, Florida home up to Pennsylvania to escape Hurricane Irma. To pass the time, her grandfather introduced them to pickleball.

• The Prodigy Emerges: Upon returning home, she and her mother began playing at a local club. By age 12, Anna Leigh turned professional, making her the youngest pro in pickleball history.

• Total Dominance: By age 15, she had climbed to World No. 1. Today, she holds the top-ranked spot across all three disciplines on the Pro Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour: singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

Her mainstream crossover hit hyper-drive early this year. In January, she made history as the first pickleball athlete to sign a landmark equipment and apparel deal with Nike. Weeks later, she was rubbing shoulders with sports royalty during Super Bowl week, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show and snapping viral photos with NFL legend Joe Montana.

Share the Stage: The Stars of TIME100 Sports

The TIME list is divided into four distinct quadrants: Icons, Titans, Innovators, and Leaders. Waters shares her placement on the list with a cross-section of cultural powerhouses and elite athletes across every discipline:

Category	Notable Honorees	Why They Shaped the Year
Icons	LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Caitlin Clark, Shohei Ohtani, A'ja Wilson, Jannik Sinner	The undeniable giants of their respective sports who continue to break viewership records and redefine athletic longevity.
Titans	Cristiano Ronaldo, Victor Wembanyama, Rory McIlroy, Alex Morgan, Smriti Mandhana	Athletes and power-brokers holding massive international leverage, including Mandhana, who stands as the lone Indian athlete honored for her historic, boundary-pushing impact on women's cricket.
Innovators	Anna Leigh Waters, Jalen Brunson, Lindsey Vonn, Michael Jordan & Denny Hamlin, IShowSpeed	Disruptors changing how sports are played, consumed, and marketed—ranging from digital creators to pickleball phenoms.
Leaders	Prince Harry (Duke of Sussex), Stephen Curry, Gianni Infantino, Nelly Korda, Shams Charania	Executives, advocates, and journalists steering the actual direction, policies, and conversations of global sports.

"In our increasingly fragmented media environment, sports remains one of the last realms in which massive global audiences gather together in real time," noted TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs on the creation of the list.

By placing a 19-year-old pickleball player alongside literal billionaire athletes and global soccer stars, the sporting world has sent a clear message: pickleball is no longer just a hobby. Thanks to the unmatched brilliance and dominant consistency of Anna Leigh Waters, it is an international force to be reckoned with.