The 2026 WFA shortlists

World Player

The strongest individual performance and influence across the reviewed period.

• Achraf HakimiMorocco / Paris Saint-Germain · CAF Player of the Year and major club and international influence
• Antoine SemenyoGhana / Manchester City · Premier League Player of the Season finalist
• Bruno FernandesPortugal / Manchester United · Premier League Player of the Season and record 21 assists
• Bukayo SakaEngland / Arsenal · Premier League champion and FIFA World Cup bronze medalist
• Cole PalmerEngland / Chelsea · FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball winner
• David RayaSpain / Arsenal · Premier League Golden Glove and UEFA Champions League Team of the Season
• Declan RiceEngland / Arsenal · Premier League champion and Champions League Team of the Season
• Erling HaalandNorway / Manchester City · Premier League Golden Boot and seven FIFA World Cup goals
• Federico DimarcoItaly / Inter · Serie A overall MVP with a league-record 18 assists
• Ferran TorresSpain / Barcelona · 106th-minute winner in the FIFA World Cup final
• Gabriel MagalhãesBrazil / Arsenal · Premier League champion and UEFA Champions League Team of the Season
• Harry KaneEngland / Bayern München · elite scoring across club and international football
• Jude BellinghamEngland / Real Madrid · FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot after a seven-goal tournament
• Julián ÁlvarezArgentina / Atlético de Madrid · ten Champions League goals and a FIFA World Cup final run
• Khvicha KvaratskheliaGeorgia / Paris Saint-Germain · UEFA Champions League Player of the Season
• Kylian MbappéFrance / Real Madrid · ten goals at the FIFA World Cup
• Lamine YamalSpain / Barcelona · LALIGA Player of the Season and World Cup final starter for champions Spain
• Lautaro MartínezArgentina / Inter · Serie A champion, top scorer, and FIFA World Cup finalist
• Lionel MessiArgentina / Inter Miami · FIFA World Cup Silver Ball with eight goals and four assists
• MarquinhosBrazil / Paris Saint-Germain · UEFA Champions League Team of the Season
• Michael OliseFrance / Bayern München · Bundesliga Player of the Season and Champions League Team of the Season
• Mohamed SalahEgypt / Liverpool · sustained elite scoring, creation, and international leadership
• Nuno MendesPortugal / Paris Saint-Germain · UEFA Champions League Team of the Season
• Ousmane DembéléFrance / Paris Saint-Germain · European champion and Champions League Team of the Season
• PedriSpain / Barcelona · LALIGA champion and FIFA World Cup winner
• RaphinhaBrazil / Barcelona · central attacking influence in a LALIGA title-winning season
• RodriSpain / Manchester City · FIFA World Cup Golden Ball and world champion
• Sadio ManéSenegal / Al Nassr · Africa Cup of Nations champion and Player of the Tournament
• Unai SimónSpain / Athletic Club · FIFA World Cup Golden Glove after a record seven clean sheets
• VitinhaPortugal / Paris Saint-Germain · Champions League final Player of the Match

Breakout Player

The most significant emergence by a player aged 23 or under on August 20, 2026.

• Arda GülerTürkiye / Real Madrid · UEFA Champions League Revelation of the Season
• Ayyoub BouaddiFrance / Lille · teenage midfield influence in domestic and European competition
• Carlos EspíSpain / Levante · LALIGA Under-23 Player of the Season
• Désiré DouéFrance / Paris Saint-Germain · Club World Cup Best Young Player and European champion
• Johan ManzambiSwitzerland / Freiburg · UEFA Europa League Revelation of the Season
• Junior KroupiFrance / Bournemouth · 12 goals in his debut Premier League season
• Kenan YıldızTürkiye / Juventus · leading attacking role at club and international level
• Lamine YamalSpain / Barcelona · LALIGA Player of the Season and teenage FIFA World Cup winner
• Luka VuškovićCroatia / Hamburg · major Bundesliga breakthrough as a teenage centre-back
• Marco PalestraItaly / Cagliari · Serie A Best Defender during his under-23 season
• Nico O’ReillyEngland / Manchester City · Premier League Young Player of the Season
• Nico PazArgentina / Como · Serie A Best Midfielder
• Othmane MaammaMorocco · FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball winner
• Pau CubarsíSpain / Barcelona · teenage starter in a World Cup-winning defence
• Sidny Lopes CabralCabo Verde · breakthrough impact on the World Cup stage
• Yassir ZabiriMorocco · FIFA U-20 World Cup Silver Ball and final match-winner

World Team

The team whose results, quality, and competitive impact best defined the reviewed period.

• Al Ahli SaudiAFC champions for a second consecutive season
• ArgentinaFIFA World Cup finalists after a dramatic title defence
• ArsenalPremier League champions and UEFA Champions League finalists
• BarcelonaLALIGA champions led by the league Player and Coach of the Season
• Bayern MünchenBundesliga champions with the league Player of the Season
• ChelseaChampions of the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup edition
• EnglandThird place at the FIFA World Cup after a 6–4 bronze final
• FlamengoCONMEBOL Libertadores champions and global club-stage presence
• FranceFIFA World Cup semifinalists led by the tournament Golden Boot winner
• InterSerie A and Coppa Italia winners
• Mamelodi SundownsCAF Champions League winners
• MoroccoA landmark World Cup run driven by late resilience
• Paris Saint-GermainBack-to-back UEFA Champions League winners
• SenegalAfrica Cup of Nations champions
• SpainFIFA World Cup champions with a tournament-record defensive campaign
• TolucaConcacaf Champions Cup winners

World Coach

The coach whose leadership, tactical work, and results had the greatest effect across the reviewed period.

• Antonio MohamedToluca · Concacaf Champions Cup winner
• Cristian ChivuInter · Serie A and Coppa Italia winner in his first full season
• Enzo MarescaChelsea · FIFA Club World Cup winner
• Filipe LuísFlamengo · CONMEBOL Libertadores winner
• Hajime MoriyasuJapan · record-setting World Cup campaign
• Hansi FlickBarcelona · LALIGA champion and Coach of the Season
• Lionel ScaloniArgentina · FIFA World Cup finalist
• Luis de la FuenteSpain · FIFA World Cup winner
• Luis EnriqueParis Saint-Germain · back-to-back UEFA Champions League winner
• Matthias JaissleAl Ahli Saudi · second consecutive AFC title
• Miguel CardosoMamelodi Sundowns · CAF Champions League winner
• Mikel ArtetaArsenal · Premier League champion and Manager of the Season
• Pape ThiawSenegal · Africa Cup of Nations winner
• Thomas TuchelEngland · FIFA World Cup bronze medalist
• Vincent KompanyBayern München · Bundesliga champion
• Walid RegraguiMorocco · another major World Cup run

Match of the Year

The match that combined the highest sporting quality, consequence, tension, and lasting memory.

• Chelsea 3–0 Paris Saint-GermainFIFA Club World Cup final
• England 1–2 ArgentinaFIFA World Cup semifinal decided by two late goals
• England 6–4 FranceFIFA World Cup bronze final
• Netherlands 1–1 Morocco (Morocco won on penalties)FIFA World Cup round of 32
• Paris Saint-Germain 1–1 Arsenal (Paris won 4–3 on penalties)UEFA Champions League final
• Paris Saint-Germain 5–4 Bayern MünchenUEFA Champions League semifinal first leg
• Real Madrid 3–2 Borussia DortmundFIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal
• Spain 1–0 Argentina (a.e.t.)FIFA World Cup final

Moment of the Year

The single action or event that carried the greatest competitive, emotional, or cultural weight.

• Argentina’s seven-minute semifinal comebackEnzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez turn the match against England
• Bruno Fernandes reaches 21 league assistsA new Premier League single-season record
• Cole Palmer’s Club World Cup final masterclassTwo goals and an assist against Paris Saint-Germain
• Erling Haaland scores seven at his first World CupA landmark tournament for Norway’s leading forward
• Federico Dimarco reaches 18 Serie A assistsA league record from the division’s overall MVP
• Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute World Cup winnerSpain defeats Argentina in the global final
• Jude Bellingham claims the World Cup Bronze BootSeven goals during England’s run to third place
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s semifinal doubleParis wins a nine-goal Champions League classic
• Kylian Mbappé reaches 22 World Cup goalsA new all-time men’s tournament scoring record
• Lionel Messi’s final World Cup runEight goals, four assists, and the adidas Silver Ball at age 39
• Rodri controls a world-title campaignGolden Ball leadership at the heart of Spain’s midfield
• Unai Simón reaches seven clean sheetsA new single-tournament FIFA World Cup record

Fan Community

The supporter community whose culture, service, originality, or presence best strengthened the men’s game.

• Argentina supportersA continent-spanning presence behind a second straight World Cup final run
• Borussia Dortmund supportersThe Yellow Wall carried into a global club tournament
• Cabo Verde supportersA first World Cup appearance turned into a global celebration
• Canada supportersA national home World Cup embraced across multiple host cities
• England supportersSustained travelling support through a ten-goal bronze-medal match
• Flamengo supportersA vast travelling presence at the FIFA Club World Cup
• Mexico supportersHost-nation identity carried across a landmark home World Cup
• Morocco supportersNoise and belief behind another historic World Cup campaign
• Seattle Sounders supportersHost-city culture meeting the global club game
• Spain supportersA generation celebrating simultaneous men’s and women’s world champions
• United States supportersA coast-to-coast host presence across the expanded global tournament
• Urawa Red Diamonds supportersDistinctive colour, sound, and loyalty on the world club stage

People’s XI

Fans choose from each ballot’s reviewed field. Select one goalkeeper, one right-back, two centre-backs, one left-back, three midfielders, and three forwards.

Goalkeeper · choose 1

• Unai SimónSpain / Athletic Club
• David RayaSpain / Arsenal
• Emiliano MartínezArgentina / Aston Villa
• Gianluigi DonnarummaItaly / Manchester City
• Thibaut CourtoisBelgium / Real Madrid
• Yassine BounouMorocco / Al Hilal

Right-back · choose 1

• Pedro PorroSpain / Tottenham Hotspur
• Marcos LlorenteSpain / Atlético de Madrid
• Achraf HakimiMorocco / Paris Saint-Germain
• Jules KoundéFrance / Barcelona
• Reece JamesEngland / Chelsea

Centre-back · choose 2

• Pau CubarsíSpain / Barcelona
• MarquinhosBrazil / Paris Saint-Germain
• GabrielBrazil / Arsenal
• William SalibaFrance / Arsenal
• Cristian RomeroArgentina / Tottenham Hotspur
• Rúben DiasPortugal / Manchester City
• Virgil van DijkNetherlands / Liverpool

Left-back · choose 1

• Nuno MendesPortugal / Paris Saint-Germain
• Marc CucurellaSpain / Chelsea
• Myles Lewis-SkellyEngland / Arsenal
• Theo HernándezFrance / Al Hilal
• Alphonso DaviesCanada / Bayern München

Midfielder · choose 3

• RodriSpain / Manchester City
• VitinhaPortugal / Paris Saint-Germain
• Declan RiceEngland / Arsenal
• Bruno FernandesPortugal / Manchester United
• Jude BellinghamEngland / Real Madrid
• Enzo FernándezArgentina / Chelsea
• PedriSpain / Barcelona
• Cole PalmerEngland / Chelsea

Forward · choose 3

• Khvicha KvaratskheliaGeorgia / Paris Saint-Germain
• Ousmane DembéléFrance / Paris Saint-Germain
• Harry KaneEngland / Bayern München
• Kylian MbappéFrance / Real Madrid
• Lamine YamalSpain / Barcelona
• Bukayo SakaEngland / Arsenal
• Erling HaalandNorway / Manchester City
• Lautaro MartínezArgentina / Inter

World Player

The strongest individual performance and influence across the reviewed period.

• Alessia RussoEngland / Arsenal · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season and FIFA Women’s Champions Cup winner
• Alexia PutellasSpain / London City Lionesses · UEFA Women’s Champions League Player of the Season with Barcelona
• Anneke BorbeGermany / Arsenal · leading goalkeeper in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup
• Cata CollSpain / Barcelona · goalkeeper in the UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season
• Claire HuttonUnited States / Kansas City Current · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Emily FoxUnited States / Arsenal · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season and FIFA Women’s Champions Cup winner
• Esther GonzálezSpain / Gotham FC · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Ewa PajorPoland / Barcelona · European champion and competition top scorer
• Frida MaanumNorway / Arsenal · FIFA Women’s Champions Cup Player of the Tournament
• Gabi ZanottiBrazil / Corinthians · Copa Libertadores Femenina top scorer
• Ghizlane ChebbakMorocco · CAF Women’s Player of the Year
• Habibou OuedraogoBurkina Faso / AS FAR · CAF Women’s Champions League Player of the Tournament
• Holly McNamaraAustralia / Melbourne City · AFC Women’s Champions League top scorer
• Khadija “Bunny” ShawJamaica / Manchester City · WSL Player of the Year and Golden Boot
• Kim Kyong YongDPR Korea / Naegohyang Women’s FC · AFC Women’s Champions League Most Valuable Player
• LorenaBrazil / Kansas City Current · goalkeeper in the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Manaka MatsukuboJapan · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Mapi LeónSpain / Barcelona · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season
• Melchie DumornayHaiti / OL Lyonnes · French league Player of the Year
• Patri GuijarroSpain / Barcelona · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season
• Pernille HarderDenmark / Bayern München · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season
• Riko UekiJapan / West Ham United · AFC Women’s Asian Cup Golden Boot
• Rose LavelleUnited States / Gotham FC · U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year and NWSL champion
• Rosemonde KouassiCôte d’Ivoire / Washington Spirit · Concacaf W Champions Cup top scorer
• Sam CoffeyUnited States / Portland Thorns · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Sanaâ MssoudyMorocco / AS FAR · CAF Interclub Player of the Year
• Scarlett CamberosMexico / Club América · Concacaf W Champions Cup Best Player
• Selma BachaFrance / OL Lyonnes · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season
• Temwa ChawingaMalawi / Kansas City Current · back-to-back NWSL MVP and Golden Boot
• Wendie RenardFrance / OL Lyonnes · UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season

Breakout Player

The most significant emergence by a player aged 23 or under on August 20, 2026.

• Claire HuttonUnited States / Kansas City Current · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Doha El MadaniMorocco / AS FAR · CAF Young Player of the Year
• Holly McNamaraAustralia / Melbourne City · AFC Women’s Champions League top scorer
• Jordyn BuggUnited States / Seattle Reign · NWSL award-finalist season as a teenage defender
• Jule BrandGermany / OL Lyonnes · high-impact season in domestic and European competition
• Justine RouquetFrance / Montpellier · French league Revelation of the Season
• Lilly RealeUnited States / Boston Legacy · NWSL Rookie of the Year and U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year
• Lily YohannesUnited States / OL Lyonnes · UEFA Women’s Champions League Revelation of the Season
• Manaka MatsukuboJapan · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Michaely BihinaCameroon · Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Golden Glove
• Monique NgockCameroon · Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Player of the Tournament
• Montserrat SaldívarMexico / Club América · Concacaf W Champions Cup Best Young Player
• Naomi EtoCameroon · a goal and an assist in the continental final
• Olivia MoultrieUnited States / Portland Thorns · selected to the 2025 NWSL Best XI
• Tōko KogaJapan / Tottenham Hotspur · WSL Team of the Season and AFC Women’s Asian Cup champion
• Veerle BuurmanNetherlands / Chelsea · WSL Rising Star

World Team

The team whose results, quality, and competitive impact best defined the reviewed period.

• Arsenal WomenEngland · FIFA Women’s Champions Cup winners
• AS FARMorocco · CAF Women’s Champions League champion and CAF Women’s Club of the Year
• AustraliaAFC Women’s Asian Cup finalists before a record home crowd
• Barcelona FemeníSpain · UEFA Women’s Champions League winners
• CameroonWomen’s Africa Cup of Nations champions
• Club América FemenilMexico · domestic and continental champions
• CorinthiansBrazil · Copa Libertadores Femenina champions
• Gotham FCUnited States · NWSL Championship winners
• JapanAFC Women’s Asian Cup champions
• Kansas City CurrentUnited States · leading NWSL regular-season team
• Malawihistoric Women’s Africa Cup of Nations run and first FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification
• Manchester City WomenEngland · Women’s Super League champions
• MoroccoWomen’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinalists on home soil
• Naegohyang Women’s FCDPR Korea · AFC Women’s Champions League winners
• OL LyonnesFrance · domestic champions and European finalists
• Washington SpiritUnited States · NWSL and Concacaf finalist

World Coach

The coach whose leadership, tactical work, and results had the greatest effect across the reviewed period.

• Andrée JeglertzManchester City Women · Women’s Super League champion
• Ángel VillacampaClub América Femenil · domestic and continental champion
• Beverly YanezRacing Louisville · 2025 NWSL Coach of the Year
• Jonatan GiráldezOL Lyonnes · domestic champion and European finalist
• Juan Carlos AmorósGotham FC · NWSL Championship winner
• Lucas PiccinatoCorinthians · Copa Libertadores Femenina winner
• Mohamed Amine AliouaAS FAR · CAF Women’s Champions League Coach of the Tournament
• Nicolas ChabotNantes · French league Coach of the Season
• Nils NielsenJapan · AFC Women’s Asian Cup title
• Pere RomeuBarcelona Femení · UEFA Women’s Champions League winner
• Renée SlegersArsenal Women · FIFA Women’s Champions Cup winner
• Ri Yu IlNaegohyang Women’s FC · AFC Women’s Champions League winner
• Sandrine SoubeyrandParis FC · high-level domestic and European campaign
• Sonia BompastorChelsea Women · domestic and European title challenge
• Valentine NgueleCameroon · first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title
• Vlatko AndonovskiKansas City Current · leading NWSL regular-season campaign

Match of the Year

The match that combined the highest sporting quality, consequence, tension, and lasting memory.

• Arsenal 3–2 Corinthians (a.e.t.)FIFA Women’s Champions Cup final
• Club América 5–3 Washington SpiritConcacaf W Champions Cup final
• Corinthians 0–0 Deportivo Cali (Corinthians won 5–3 on penalties)Copa Libertadores Femenina final
• Gotham FC 1–0 Washington SpiritNWSL Championship
• Japan 1–0 AustraliaAFC Women’s Asian Cup final before 74,397 supporters
• Malawi 3–2 NigeriaWomen’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinal
• Morocco 0–0 Cameroon (Cameroon won 3–1 on penalties)Women’s Africa Cup of Nations semifinal
• OL Lyonnes 3–1 Arsenal (4–3 aggregate)UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinal

Moment of the Year

The single action or event that carried the greatest competitive, emotional, or cultural weight.

• 63,004 attend Denver Summit’s first home matchA new NWSL attendance benchmark for an inaugural home fixture
• Alexia scores on her 500th Barcelona appearanceA landmark goal before 60,067 supporters at Camp Nou
• Caitlin Foord’s extra-time winnerArsenal defeats Corinthians in the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup final
• Khadija Shaw scores 21 league goalsA title-winning Women’s Super League season for Manchester City
• Kim Kyong Yong’s AFC final winnerNaegohyang Women’s FC claims the continental title
• Maika Hamano’s final winnerJapan wins the AFC Women’s Asian Cup before 74,397 supporters
• Malawi reaches first FIFA Women’s World CupA landmark qualification for the Scorchers
• Marie Ngah Manga’s final braceCameroon wins its first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations
• Michaely Bihina saves three penaltiesCameroon reaches the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final
• Rose Lavelle decides the NWSL ChampionshipThe match-winning goal for Gotham FC against Washington Spirit
• Scarlett Camberos’ semifinal hat-trickClub América advances in the Concacaf W Champions Cup
• Temwa Chawinga wins consecutive NWSL MVP awardsA second straight league MVP and Golden Boot season

Fan Community

The supporter community whose culture, service, originality, or presence best strengthened the women’s game.

• A Fiel for the Brabas44,529 and the Invasão pelas Brabas campaign
• Arsenal Women supportersA 34,110 average attendance entering 2025–26
• AS FAR supportersHome and travelling support through a continental championship campaign
• Atlas Lionesses supportersRabat’s twelfth player throughout the continental campaign
• Barça Femení supporters60,067 for Barcelona vs Real Madrid at Camp Nou
• Bay FC supporters40,091 at Oracle Park
• Club América Femenil supportersSustained backing behind a domestic and continental double
• Denver Summit supporters63,004 at the club’s inaugural home match
• Japan supportersA major travelling and home presence around an AFC Women’s Asian Cup title
• Kansas City Current supportersStrong backing across a leading NWSL regular-season campaign
• Manchester City Women supportersSupport through a Women’s Super League title season
• Matildas supporters74,397 for the home continental final in Sydney

People’s XI

Fans choose from each ballot’s reviewed field. Select one goalkeeper, one right-back, two centre-backs, one left-back, three midfielders, and three forwards.

Goalkeeper · choose 1

• Cata CollSpain / Barcelona
• Hannah HamptonEngland / Chelsea
• Ayaka YamashitaJapan / Manchester City
• Michaely BihinaCameroon
• Itzel VelascoMexico / Club América
• LorenaBrazil / Kansas City Current

Right-back · choose 1

• Emily FoxUnited States / Arsenal
• Kerstin CasparijNetherlands / Manchester City
• Risa ShimizuJapan / Manchester City
• Ona BatlleSpain / Barcelona
• Lucy BronzeEngland / Chelsea

Centre-back · choose 2

• Wendie RenardFrance / OL Lyonnes
• Mapi LeónSpain / Barcelona
• Maya Le TissierEngland / Manchester United
• Tōko KogaJapan / Tottenham Hotspur
• Alanna KennedyAustralia / London City Lionesses
• Tara McKeownUnited States / Washington Spirit
• MarizaBrazil / Tigres UANL

Left-back · choose 1

• Selma BachaFrance / OL Lyonnes
• Katie McCabeRepublic of Ireland / Chelsea
• Izzy RodriguezUnited States / Kansas City Current
• Veerle BuurmanNetherlands / Chelsea
• Lilly RealeUnited States / Boston Legacy

Midfielder · choose 3

• Alexia PutellasSpain / London City Lionesses
• Patri GuijarroSpain / Barcelona
• Melchie DumornayHaiti / OL Lyonnes
• Frida MaanumNorway / Arsenal
• Yui HasegawaJapan / Manchester City
• Irene GuerreroSpain / Club América
• Gabi ZanottiBrazil / Corinthians
• Manaka MatsukuboJapan / Chelsea

Forward · choose 3

• Ewa PajorPoland / Barcelona
• Khadija “Bunny” ShawJamaica / Manchester City
• Alessia RussoEngland / Arsenal
• Temwa ChawingaMalawi / Kansas City Current
• Scarlett CamberosMexico / Club América
• Kim Kyong YongDPR Korea / Naegohyang Women’s FC
• Maika HamanoJapan / Chelsea
• Marie Ngah MangaCameroon