Picturesque red steps. Legendary Couture Gown. Jaw-dropping accessories. And, of course, celebrities.
The Met Gala is held every year on the first Monday in May, one of the most spectacular nights for fashion, art and culture.
And this year, female athletes are at the helm of the annual fundraising event.
tennis superstar venus williams Beyoncé will join Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour as co-chairs for the 2026 Met Gala. In addition to other celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Lisa and Teyana Taylor, WNBA champion A’ja Wilson, ballerina Misty Copeland and Paralympian Amy Mullins will be part of the host committee – 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. While last year Lewis Hamilton was co-chairman angel reeseSha’Carri Richardson and Simone Biles were on the host committee.
This year’s theme is “Costume Art”, along with a dress code of “Fashion is Art”, providing a unique perspective to the athletes involved.
When it comes to the physical body being an art form, Williams, Wilson, Copeland and Mullins may know better than most about what it means to truly embody this year’s theme.
And their personal journeys to the Met Gala can be as storied and complex as the outfits they wear on fashion’s biggest night. Here’s a closer look at the athletes who helped shape this year’s Met Gala.
venus williams
A seven-time Grand Slam champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, Williams has now added another title to her resume: co-chair of the Met Gala. The 45-year-old former world No. 1 recently competed at the Madrid Open, where despite losing her 10th consecutive singles match, she hinted that she is considering playing at Roland Garros this month. With her last win on tour coming in the round of 16 at the WTA 500 event in Washington in July 2025, Williams continues to demonstrate that she is no closer to retirement. But just as tennis is so much a part of her DNA, Williams reminds the world that fashion remains the highlight of her life. After marrying actor, producer and model Andrea Pretti in December 2025 Five day wedding at home in Palm Beach, Williams showed her affinity for couture gowns and the Met Gala’s theme of “Fashion is Art”. Last year, Williams wore a tennis-inspired Lacoste gown to the Met Gala that highlighted her presence on the court.
Aja Wilson
For three consecutive seasons, the WNBA star has displayed her creative and artistic expression Hair color during media day. From her silver hairstyle in 2024 to her bubblegum pink look in 2025, the four-time MVP knows all eyes will be on her when she steps out on the stage. And just a week before her Met Gala debut, Wilson dyed her hair red to have “a Jean Gray type of vibe with the X-Men.” Wilson, who just signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $5 million supermax contract to remain with the Las Vegas Acesrecently cited Beyoncé and Ciara as her style role models. In the Vogue interview, Wilson also attributed Tunnel Fit for changing the WNBA: “It brought a different audience and set of eyes to us.” She added, “People need to understand how powerful it is to go to a game in heels, crush it, and then put those heels back on. That’s very powerful.” Just days before the end of the WNBA season, Wilson will take a tunnel walk for the red carpet — presumably in heels.
misty copeland
In October 2025, Copeland took his final spin on his pointe shoes. But on Monday night, the American ballerina will step onto a more familiar stage: the Met Gala. More than a decade ago, Copeland made history first black female lead dancer A 75-year history of American Ballet Theatre. Over the years, Copeland has pioneered and embodied diversity in ballet. Redefining the American ballerina, the 43-year-old Copeland’s final performance at American Ballet Theater wasn’t quite a goodbye. Last year, she told the media that it was a “farewell” but “it won’t be the end of my dancing…never say never.” Perhaps, Copeland will dance her way down the red steps at the Met Gala? One can only hope!
amy mullins
It may be cliché to say, “Nothing is impossible.” But the Paralympian and actress has proven that sentiment to be true time and again. After having both of her legs amputated below the knee as a child, Mullins became the first athlete with a disability to compete against athletes without disabilities in the NCAA when she attended Georgetown as a track and field athlete. In 1996, Mullins competed at the Summer Paralympic Games in Atlanta, where he ran the T42-46 class 100 meters dash in 17.01 seconds and jumped 3.14 meters in the F42-46 class long jump. After retiring from competition after two years, Mullins began 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 progressed, Mullins continued to establish himself in the world of entertainment. The actress, who claims to have 12 pairs of prosthetic legs, some of which are even “in museums”, understands what it means to her to have an art.
