Kareem Rahma, Erling Haaland, Latin Mafia Among 2026 Instagram Ring Award Winners

Instagram is celebrating the creators that sparked conversations and shaped culture on and off the platform this year with the 2026 Ring Awards, revealed on Friday.

Now in their second year, the Ring Awards celebrate visionaries who aren’t afraid to push boundaries and take creative risks.

This year’s honorees include 25 global creators, including soccer star Erling Haaland, Subway Takes’ Kareem Rahma, Mexican band Latin Mafia, Brazilian musician Joyce Alane, and Indian supermodel Bhavitha Mandave, among others, for their creativity, courage, and bold ideas.

“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,” said Vivan Odior, head of marketing for Meta’s consumer apps.

A panel of judges from across fashion, music, film, sports, and more selected the winners. They 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, and Jack Edwards, as well head of Instagram Adam Mosseri.

“We collaborated with judges who understand this spirit and bring authority and cultural influence in their fields,” Odior said.

Each winner received a physical ring, crafted by Aujla, as well as a digital gold ring around their Instagram profile to celebrate the achievement. In addition, the winners and their work will be showcased across digital displays in New York City’s Times Square and on the facade of the Dream Hotel in the Meatpacking District.

Odior said Instagram hopes the Rings Awards are something that creators genuinely care about winning. She added, “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.”

The 25 Rings Awards winners include:

@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 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, known for creating a viral blush technique
@damienjalet: Choreographer who worked with Yung Lean on his viral STORM video
@mssjb: Choreographer for celebrities including Beyoncé, Pharrell, and Sabrina Carpenter
@Blackforager: Whimsical creator known for her plant foraging content
@riswan_freestyle: Freestyle football athlete known for insane trick plays and celebrity crossovers
@jtfirstman: Actor, writer, comedian, and director of upcoming “Club Kid.” Recently starred in “I Love LA”
@littlesimz: British-Nigerian independent rapper, singer, and actress. Winner of Mercury Prize and BRIT Best New Artist
@melovemealot: Digital artist, model, and rapper from Korea
@ly.as: Fashion commentator known for creating the viral “LaWatch Party”
@medet: Hip-hop music video director and creator of PBC Worldwide collective
@salehebembury: Creative sneaker designer
@skylarmarshai: Brooklyn-based innovative 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 like 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 NYC
@underthecover: Creator of “Under the Cover” book series