Instagram Hands 2026 Ring Awards to 25 Creators Including Haaland

By Priya Raman

Instagram named 25 global creators as winners of its 2026 Ring Awards on Friday, with soccer star Erling Haaland, Subway Takes creator Kareem Rahma, Mexican band Latin Mafia, Brazilian musician Joyce Alane, and Indian supermodel Bhavitha Mandave among the honorees.

Now in their second year, the awards recognize creators who push boundaries and take creative risks on and off the platform. For marketers who build creator programs around Instagram, the list functions as a curated, judge-vetted map of talent across fashion, music, film, sports, food, and beauty.

Who judged, and what did they reward?

A panel drawn from fashion, music, film, and sports selected the winners. The judges include Donatella Versace, A$AP Rocky, Emily Adams, Bode Aujla, Finneas, Chloé Zhao, Mikaela Shiffrin, Osgemeos, Charm La'Donna, Eva Chen, Will Welch, Isamaya Ffrench, Vikas Khanna, Jack Edwards, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri.

Vivan Odior, head of marketing for Meta's consumer apps, framed the award around process rather than output. "Creativity often is not the thing you end up posting. It's everything before that: chasing an idea, finding inspiration when there isn't any, not knowing how something will land, and overcoming doubt," Odior said.

"We collaborated with judges who understand this spirit and bring authority and cultural influence in their fields," Odior added.

What does each winner actually receive?

Each honoree gets two things: a physical ring crafted by judge Bode Aujla, and a digital gold ring displayed around their Instagram profile. Instagram will also showcase the winners and their work on digital displays in New York City's Times Square and on the facade of the Dream Hotel in the Meatpacking District.

The digital ring carries the longer-term play. Odior said Instagram hopes the awards become something creators genuinely care about winning. "Our hope is that a few years from now, creators can see the ring on someone's Instagram profile and understand what it took to earn it," she said.

The full 2026 winner list

• @erling — the internet's favorite Scandinavian footballer
• @bhavithamandava — first Indian model to open a Chanel show
• @samvissermakeup — lead makeup artist under Gucci creative director Demna Gvasalia
• @kareem — creator of the viral Subway Takes series
• @latinmafia — genre-blending band from Mexico
• @szilvesztermako — fashion photographer known for ethereal design
• @paintedbyesther — celebrity makeup artist for Beyoncé, Olandria, and Chloe Bailey; created a viral blush technique
• @damienjalet — choreographer who worked with Yung Lean on his viral STORM video
• @mssjb — choreographer for Beyoncé, Pharrell, and Sabrina Carpenter
• @Blackforager — creator known for whimsical plant foraging content
• @riswan_freestyle — freestyle football athlete known for trick plays and celebrity crossovers
• @jtfirstman — actor, writer, comedian, and director of upcoming Club Kid; recently starred in I Love LA
• @littlesimz — British-Nigerian rapper, singer, and actress; Mercury Prize winner and BRIT Best New Artist
• @melovemealot — digital artist, model, and rapper from Korea
• @ly.as — fashion commentator who created the viral LaWatch Party
• @medet — hip-hop music video director and creator of the PBC Worldwide collective
• @salehebembury — creative sneaker designer
• @skylarmarshai — Brooklyn-based fashion storyteller and artist
• @joycealanee — Latin Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter from Brazil
• @vicmontanari — fashion creator who popularized the Portuguese girl aesthetic
• @byjuanalvear — avant-garde nail artist for celebrities including LISA
• @winnie_thepooj — creator of the Brooklyn Coffee Shop series
• @renellmedrano — photographer of album covers for Kendrick Lamar and Justin Bieber
• @stevenmotocooks — culinary creator, formerly at Per Se in New York
• @underthecover — creator of the Under the Cover book series

If the gold ring becomes a recognized status marker on profiles, brands scouting creator partnerships gain a new, platform-sanctioned signal of cultural credibility to weigh alongside follower counts.