TIME Person of the Year is an annual issue of the American news magazine that features a figure chosen for its influence. Wikipedia describes it as an issue featuring a person, group, idea, or object that "for better or for worse ... has done the most to influence the events of the year" [2]. This article covers the Polymarket contract titled "TIME Person of the Year 2026" [1], which asks whether a listed option will be named TIME Person of the Year for 2026. The contract resolves to "Yes" if the listed person, group, entity, or thing is explicitly named as the 2026 Person of the Year. If several people are explicitly named Person of the Year, each of them is treated as the Person of the Year [1]. The rules are more detailed when the honoree is a concept, group, or thing. In that case, a person can still count if they are explicitly named, or if they are directly associated with the honoree and pictured on an official TIME cover announcing it. The rules give an example from 2025, when "Architects of AI" was the honoree and Sam Altman was treated as qualifying because he was associated with that concept and pictured on the cover [1]. A specific concept, group, or thing qualifies a listed option only if the option is synonymous with it, and conceptually related options do not qualify on that basis alone [1]. Where TIME uses language that does not refer to a specific, commonly recognized concept, the feature article is used to interpret the wording [1]. The contract resolves to "No" if TIME's Person of the Year is not announced by June 30, 2027, 11:59 PM ET [1]. That date is a contract deadline, not an announced publication date. The stated resolution source is the TIME magazine cover or covers announcing the 2026 Person of the Year, and the feature article may also be used [1]. The saved event lists 28 markets in total, and 12 are included in this snapshot [1]. The included names are ranked by Yes price, highest first, and the sample does not show the remaining 16 markets. The names shown include Zohran Mamdani, Mark Carney, Pope Leo XIV, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Dario Amodei, among others [1]. Their inclusion reflects only that they are listed options in this event. Prices are snapshots from the provider observation time and are not executable quotes or verified probabilities.

Historical Context

The award began under the name Man of the Year, and the title was Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999 [2]. The TIME website or a partner organization also runs an annual online reader's poll, which has no effect on the selection. No poll was held in 2023 or 2024 [2]. This background describes the award's history and does not provide a present-day update on the 2026 selection.

Frequently Asked Questions