2026 Met Gala: Venus Williams, A’ja Wilson headline athlete presenceCharlotte GibsonMay 4, 2026, 09:02 AM ETMultiple Authors
tamil yogi
The picturesque red steps. The legendary couture gowns. The jaw-dropping accessories. And, of course, the iconic celebrities.
The Met Gala is one of the most stunning nights for fashion, art and culture on the first Monday in May each year.Editor’s Picks
Jordyn Wieber on leaving Arkansas gymnastics: ‘It feels in my gut like this was the right decision’
Andy, meet Karl-Anthony Towns: Knicks big man makes appearance in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
Tale of two NWSL expansion teams: A lesson on what not to do vs. a blueprint to follow
And this year, women athletes are at the helm of the annual fundraising event.
Tennis superstar Venus Williams will join Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour as co-chair for the 2026 Met Gala. WNBA champion A’ja Wilson, ballerina Misty Copeland and Paralympian Aimee Mullins will be a part of the host committee, in addition to other celebrities such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Lisa and Teyana Taylor — just to name a few.
In recent years, the Met Gala has become one of the most sought-after tickets for the most fashion-forward athletes. Last year Lewis Hamilton was a co-chair, while Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson and Simone Biles were on the host committee.
This year’s theme of “Costume Art,” with an accompanying dress code of “Fashion Is Art,” lends a unique perspective given the athletes involved.
When it comes to the physical body being an art form, Williams, Wilson, Copeland and Mullins might know better than most about what it means to truly embody this year’s theme.
And their individual journeys to the Met Gala might be as storied and complex as the ensembles they’ll wear on fashion’s biggest night. Here’s a closer look at the athletes helping shape this year’s Met Gala.
Venus Williams
Seven-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Williams now adds another title to her résumé: Met Gala co-chair. The 45-year-old former world No. 1 recently competed at the Madrid Open, where despite losing her 10th straight singles match, hinted that she is considering playing at Roland Garros this month. With her last win on tour coming in July 2025, in the round of 16 of a WTA 500 event in Washington, Williams continues to showcase that she’s nowhere near retirement. But just as much as tennis makes up most of her DNA, Williams reminds the world that fashion remains a highlight of her life. After marrying actor, producer and model Andrea Preti in December 2025, during a five-day wedding at home in Palm Beach, Williams showed off her infatuation with couture gowns and the Met Gala’s theme of “Fashion is Art.” Last year, Williams donned a tennis-inspired Lacoste gown at the Met Gala, highlighting her presence on the court.
A’ja Wilson
For three consecutive seasons, the WNBA star has displayed her creative and artistic expression in the form of hair color during media day. From her silver hairstyle in 2024 to the bubblegum pink look in 2025, the four-time MVP knows all eyes are on her when she steps up to the stage. And just one week before she makes her debut at the Met Gala, Wilson dyed her hair a “Jean Grey type of vibe with X-Men” red. Wilson, who just signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $5 million supermax contract to stay with the Las Vegas Aces, recently cited Beyoncé and Ciara as her style role models. In a Vogue interview, Wilson also attributed tunnel fits for changing the WNBA: “It brought a different audience and set of eyes to us.” She added, “People should understand how powerful it is to walk into a game in heels, crush it, and put those heels back on. That is so powerful.” Days before the WNBA season tips off, Wilson will trade in the tunnel walk for the red carpet — most likely in heels.
Misty Copeland
In October 2025, Copeland took her final spin on her pointe shoes. But on Monday night, the American ballerina will step foot onto another familiar stage: the Met Gala. Over a decade ago, Copeland made history as the first Black female principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre’s 75-year history. For years, Copeland has trailblazed and embodied diversity in ballet. Redefining the American ballerina, 43-year-old Copeland’s final curtain call at the American Ballet Theatre wasn’t a complete goodbye. Last year, she told the media that it was a “farewell” but “it won’t be the end of me dancing … Never say never.” Perhaps, Copeland will dance her way onto the red steps at the Met Gala? One can only hope!
Aimee Mullins
It can be cliché to say, “nothing is impossible.” But the Paralympian and actress has proven that sentiment to be true time and time again. After undergoing below-the-knee amputations in both of her legs as a baby, Mullins became the first amputee to compete against athletes without disabilities in the NCAA when she attended Georgetown as a track and field athlete. In 1996, Mullins competed in the Summer Paralympic Games in Atlanta, where she ran the T42-46 class 100-meter sprint in 17.01 seconds and jumped 3.14 meters in the F42-46 class long jump. After retiring from competition two years later, Mullins started modeling for British fashion designer Alexander McQueen and opened his London show on a pair of hand-carved wooden prosthetic legs made from solid ash. As the years have progressed, Mullins has continued to establish herself in the world of entertainment. The actress, who claims she has 12 pairs of prosthetic legs, including some “in museums,” understands what it means for her to be an art form.
