2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Models Are Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, Hilary Duff, Nicole Williams English: EXCLUSIVE
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has tapped Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, Hilary Duff and Nicole Williams English as cover models for its 2026 issue.
The cover stars, who are among 34 women across film, sports, social media, fashion, business and more areas of media selected to appear in the issue, were revealed exclusively on TODAY May 11.
Each photo shows the women looking confident as they pose in picturesque areas around the world, including Fort Myers coastline in Florida, Botswana, Montauk in New York, South Caicos, Loreto and Baja California Sur in Mexico. Earle was photographed by Ruven Afanador and sports a swimsuit by Andi Bagus, while Duff was photographed by Kat Irlin and dons OYE Swimwear. As for Haddish and Williams English, they were photographed by James Macari and Ben Watts, respectively, and wore swimwear by Slate Swim and Same.
Readers are able to view the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2026 issue on swimsuit.si.com and across digital platforms or snag a print copy starting May 14 in some markets and May 26 nationally. SI Swimsuit will also share behind-the-scenes footage from the photo shoots on its website.
Haddish visited TODAY live on May 12 to share her SI Swimsuit cover, which she had seen for the first time just that morning. “I think it is gorgeous. I think it is everything that I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl,” she said.
As she reminisced on her experience shooting the photos, Haddish said it was poignant because of a full-circle moment. Her grandmother, she said, was a swimsuit model and one of the first Black women on TV modeling clothing.
“Just being there and just feeling like, ‘Wow, I wish my grandma was alive. I wish my grandma would’ve seen this,” she said.
Earle also visited the 3rd Hour of TODAY on May 12, calling her SI Swimsuit cover a “pinch-me moment.”
“It has not settled in at all,” she said. “I can’t fathom it, it’s just so surreal and such an incredible dream. Just the shoot overall was so spectacular.”
The magazine went all out for its latest issue, which “is one of the brand’s most expansive and dynamic issues to date,” SI Swimsuit said in a press release. The women appearing in the magazine this year have a long list of impressive accolades, like Olympic gold medals and WNBA champions. Some additional famous faces fans will see are Brooks Nader, Ilona Maher, Bethenny Frankel, Camille Kostek, Hannah Berner, Remi Bader, Olandria Carthen and more.
“The 2026 issue continues SI Swimsuit’s tradition of celebrating women at every stage of their lives and careers, with body diversity, inclusivity and authentic representation at the heart of every creative decision,” the magazine also said in a press release. “From established supermodels to emerging digital creators, this year’s cast reflects the full spectrum of modern femininity.”
Editor-In-Chief MJ Day added that there was an emphasis on “celebrating individuality” this year.
“Each woman brings a distinct combination of relevance, resilience and range that extends far beyond what’s expected,” Day said. “From Tiffany’s deeply human story rooted in joy and honesty, to Alix’s evolution of access into influence, to Nicole’s commitment to authentic growth and Hilary’s quiet reinvention marked by confidence, humor and grace.”
She continued, “Together, they represent the power of embracing every chapter. As part of a collective of 34 remarkable women, they remind us that there is no single blueprint for success or happiness and that truth is not limiting, it’s liberating.”
In honor of the 2026 SI Swimsuit release, a few of the cover stars will visit New York City and light the Empire State Building, and the magazine will hold an exclusive pop-up event called the Social Club.
