Alix Earle Sizzles in Stripped-Down Shoot as 2026 “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit” Cover Star
Alix Earle Sizzles in Stripped-Down Shoot as 2026 “Sports Illustrated Swimsuit” Cover Star
Skyler CarusoTue, May 12, 2026 at 11:55 AM UTC
36
Alix Earle
Credit: Todd Owyoung/NBC/Getty; Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
-
Alix Earle is making her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover debut
The influencer previously appeared on the digital cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
Her fellow cover stars are Tiffany Haddish, Hilary Duff and Nicole Williams English
Alix Earle is on fire!
The powerhouse influencer, 25, fronts the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit this year, two years after she made her striking debut when she was named the famed issue's first-ever digital cover star in 2024
This year, Earle posed in a teeny tiny tan bikini for a series of photos shot by Ruven Afanador in beautiful Okavango Delta, a massive inland delta situated in the heart of the Kalahari Desert, located in northwestern Botswana in Southern Africa. The outlet shared a video of Earle's cover shoot on Instagram.
Her fellow cover stars are Hilary Duff, Tiffany Haddish and Nicole Williams English.
Alix Earle for 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit'
Credit: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
The social media star let her blonde locks run free for the stripped-down shoot. She also wore a number of other swim looks, including a pearl-crafted piece paired with knee-high boots and plunging knit pieces.
Earle, who skyrocketed to fame on TikTok for her "Get Ready with Me" videos and recently launched her first-ever skincare line, Reale Actives, kept her makeup to a minimum for this shoot, opting for a natural glam that complemented the breathtaking nature of her serene surroundings.
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Alix Earle attends the launch of the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party in NYC.
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Ahead of the May 12 release, Earle and SI Swimsuit released a first look at the shoot on Instagram. At the time, it was not revealed that she would be one of the cover stars.
Advertisement
The week of the SI Swimsuit launch, Earle posted a snap to her Instagram Stories of herself headed to New York City for the big week. "Now off to NYC for SI Swim launch week 👏👏," she captioned a selfie of herself, wearing a hoodie and sunglasses for the mirror pic.
Earle is no stranger to the SI Swimsuit family, making her debut in the famed magazine in 2024.
"It has been a long-time dream of mine to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, and I’m deeply honored to be named their first-ever digital cover star,” she shared via a press release at the time.
Alix Earle heads to NYC for 2026 SI Swimsuit launch.
Credit: Alix Earle/Instagram
The following year, she appeared in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
In the first official image, Earle posed poolside in a teeny-tiny knit bikini with metallic straps. She also wore a choker necklace with a pendant and a sexy gold body chain draped down her chest and across her abdomen.
In classic Earle fashion, the social media star was transparent with her followers and gave them a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her photo shoot ahead of the 2025 SI Swimsuit launch.
When the first photos dropped, Earle shared another BTS look at the photo shoot on Instagram Reels, giving a glimpse into her secret flight to Jamaica. The reel, captioned "Secret mission 🕵️♀️" showed Earle sneaking around the set, plus the theme song from The White Lotus.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
