Tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka claimed the top individual honours at the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid, capping a ceremony that celebrated standout performances across global sport and reinforced the city’s growing profile as a major international sporting hub. The awards, hosted by former Laureus winners Novak Djokovic and Eileen Gu, brought together some of the world’s biggest sporting names at the Palacio de Cibeles on Monday night.
Alcaraz was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year after a stellar 2025 season that saw him finish as the men’s world number one, while Sabalenka took the World Sportswoman of the Year award after ending the year atop the women’s rankings. Their victories underlined tennis’ dominance at this year’s ceremony, with both players recognised for their consistency and influence at the highest level of the sport.
Paris Saint-Germain also continued a remarkable run of success by winning the Laureus World Team of the Year award after sweeping six football titles. In another major football moment, Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, 18, was named Young Sportsperson of the Year, further cementing his status as one of the brightest talents in world football. The award added to a growing list of honours for the Spain international, who has rapidly become one of the defining young faces of the game.
In motorsport, Formula One world champion Lando Norris received the Breakthrough of the Year award, recognition of a campaign that established him firmly among the sport’s elite. Rory McIlroy was named Comeback of the Year, while snowboarder Chloe Kim secured the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award for a third time. Brazilian para swimmer Gabriel Araújo won World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability, claiming his first Laureus honour. Toni Kroos received the Sporting Inspiration Award, while gymnastics icon Nadia Comăneci was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The ceremony came as Madrid began hosting the Madrid Open tennis tournament and with Formula One set to return to the Spanish capital in 2026 for the first time in decades, adding extra resonance to an event staged in a city increasingly positioning itself at the centre of the global sports calendar. Against that backdrop, the Laureus Awards once again served as sport’s red-carpet showcase, honouring excellence across disciplines while spotlighting a new generation of champions.
