February 2026 was an action-packed month in the world of sports, with the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LX propelling athletes to stardom. Here are the best athletes, teams, and moments from February.
Athlete of the month: Alysa Liu
American figure skater Alysa Liu’s decision to step away from the rink after the 2022 Winter Olympics was short-lived, lasting only two years. In this year’s Olympic Games, Liu showed the world her talent, returning to the U.S. with gold medals in the women’s singles and team figure skating events. Liu became an icon, capturing the internet’s attention with her whimsical style and her flawlessly executed difficult jumps, such as the triple lutz-triple loop. In the past, pressure weighed on Liu’s performances, but now, her mentality of skating on her own terms has helped her enjoy herself on the ice — which has translated into her newfound Olympic stardom.
Team of the month: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks never really seemed like they were going to lose during this year’s Super Bowl, steamrolling Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on the way to their revenge for Super Bowl XLIX. Maye had performed well under heavy pass-rush this season, putting up a passer rating of 103.1 under pressure going into the playoffs. But the Seahawks defense, led by head coach Mike Macdonald, proved too much for the Patriots to handle — holding New England scoreless until the fourth quarter. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards on 5 yards per carry on his way to Super Bowl MVP. The Seahawks will have to contend with losing their offensive coordinator next year, but for now, they can emphatically call themselves Super Bowl champions.
Moment of the month: Tomáš Souček’s goal against Manchester United
Manchester United fan Frank Ilett, better known as The United Strand, hasn’t cut his hair since October 2024 for one simple reason: His team can’t keep winning. Ilett challenged himself to not get a haircut until United won five games in a row; 500 days later — marked in early February — it came close for the first time in two seasons. After replacing manager Ruben Amorim with former Red Devil Michael Carrick, Manchester United beat rival Manchester City, league-leader Arsenal, Fulham, and Tottenham — and finally seemed ready to get a fifth straight win against relegation contender West Ham. Czech midfielder Tomáš Souček had other plans. In the 50th minute of the game, with the score at 0-0, Souček tapped the ball into the back of the net, putting West Ham in the lead. Though Manchester United was able to score in stoppage time, the game ended in a 1-1 draw — and Souček’s goal was the crucial moment that kept Ilett’s barber out of business.
This month’s must-watch: Australian Grand Prix
The 2026 Formula 1 season is almost upon us, and with a new season comes new regulations. After a period of dominance from Red Bull and McLaren, this season, a new team may take control of the constructors’ championship. The Australian Grand Prix, slated for March 7 at 8 p.m. PST in Melbourne, Australia, will be the first big test for the teams and an early indicator of which cars will be the most competitive throughout the season. For prospective F1 fans, this season will be great for getting into the sport, since even drivers, teams, and more seasoned fans will be learning about how the new regulations and car systems work. These regulations are sure to produce good wheel-to-wheel racing and complex strategy compared to previous years, due to lighter cars and changes to power units. Will F1 world champion Lando Norris and F1 constructor champion McLaren be able to defend their titles, or will a new challenger like Ferrari or Mercedes take the crown?
