Did Travis Kelce attend the 2026 Met Gala? Why Sam Smith was mistaken for the NFL star
Photo: Instagram
A case of mistaken identity took over social media during the 2026 Met Gala after many viewers briefly became convinced that Travis Kelce had made a surprise appearance on the red carpet.
The person sparking the confusion was actually Sam Smith, whose tailored red carpet look quickly went viral Monday night. As photos and video clips from the event spread online, users began pointing out what they thought was a striking resemblance between Smith and the NFL star. Within minutes, posts questioning whether Kelce had attended the gala began circulating widely.
Everyone really had my dumbass believing this was Travis Kelce goofing around at the Met Gala for a second pic.twitter.com/uQMtI4Rep7
The mix-up soon became a trending topic, with entertainment sites highlighting the online reaction. Some social media users leaned into the joke, while others genuinely believed Kelce had turned up at fashion’s biggest night.
Wait, that’s not Travis Swift?
— MichiganMeathead (@JunkBarMan) May 5, 2026Just Sam Smith being Sam Smith... but if it would have been Kelce... respect 🙏
One viral reaction shared described the confusion as “white-on-white crime,” capturing the internet’s amused disbelief over the resemblance.
White on white crime
Despite the buzz, Kelce was not at the event. Neither he nor Taylor Swift attended this year’s gala, despite weeks of speculation that the couple might make their first joint red carpet appearance there.
What turned the moment viral was not just the resemblance itself, but how quickly a few red carpet images were enough to launch widespread confusion online. For a brief stretch of the night, Smith’s fashion moment had the internet convinced one of football’s biggest names had unexpectedly entered the Met Gala chat.