Global spotlight on women’s game as BBC World Service names 2026 Footballer of the Year shortlist

The shortlist for the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year has been confirmed, with five leading players from club and international football vying for one of the sport’s most established individual honours.

The 2026 winner will be announced globally on BBC World Service’s Sportsworld and, for the first time, as part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards live on BBC One and iPlayer at 5.45pm on Sunday 13 December.

A five-player shortlist with global reach

The five footballers shortlisted for the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year 2026 award, listed in alphabetical order by surname, are:

• Temwa Chawinga – Malawi and Kansas City Current
• Ewa Pajor – Poland and Barcelona
• Alexia Putellas – Spain and London City Lionesses
• Alessia Russo – England and Arsenal
• Khadija Shaw – Jamaica and Manchester City

The shortlist, announced on Newsday on BBC World Service, reflects the increasingly international nature of elite women’s football, combining leading performers from European club competitions, North American domestic football and major international tournaments.

Public voting opened at 6.30am GMT on Tuesday 10 November and is free and open globally, allowing supporters to select their standout player via the BBC Women’s Football website. Voting will close at 9am GMT on Wednesday 18 November.

How the award is decided

Now in its twelfth year, the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year award is built around a dual process: expert assessment followed by a public vote.

Nominees are selected by an expert panel comprising current and former players, coaches and journalists, who assess performances over a defined evaluation window. For the 2026 award, the period runs from September 2025 to August 2026, covering a full club season and the latest major international fixtures.

Once the five-player shortlist is set, the decision moves to the global audience, with fans invited to participate directly in choosing the winner. This shared decision-making structure has helped the award gain status both inside dressing rooms and among supporters.

Previous winners underline the calibre of player typically recognised. The roll of honour includes England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, Zambian forward Barbra Banda, England goalkeeper Mary Earps, England striker Beth Mead, Netherlands forward Vivianne Miedema, English defender Lucy Bronze, Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg, Scottish midfielder Kim Little and Nigerian striker Asisat Oshoala.

Integration with BBC Sports Personality of the Year

In a significant change to how the award is presented, the 2026 winner will be revealed live during BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday 13 December, while also being announced on BBC World Service’s Sportsworld programme. Additional coverage will follow on Newsday on BBC World Service radio on Monday 14 December.

Bringing the award into one of the most watched events in the British sporting calendar elevates its visibility well beyond specialist women’s football audiences. It positions the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year alongside other major accolades presented on the night, including the main Sports Personality of the Year award and the wider portfolio of annual categories.

For the women’s game, that integration places an individual honour with a global footprint into a prime-time broadcast environment traditionally associated with broader national sporting narratives. It is the first time in the award’s history that this platform has been used.

Growth of the women’s game and institutional backing

Since the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year was launched in 2015, women’s football has undergone sustained expansion in attendances, broadcast exposure and professional structures across leading leagues and national-team programmes.

Formal global governance of the sport rests with FIFA, which organises the FIFA Women’s World Cup and sets the overarching regulatory framework for the international calendar. The 2027 edition of the tournament is a key landmark on the horizon, and the current award cycle sits directly in the build-up to that competition.

Within that context, the BBC World Service award functions as an additional layer of recognition alongside national league honours and confederation or global awards. Announcing the winner on BBC Sports Personality of the Year and across World Service platforms places the achievements of the shortlisted players before both UK and international audiences at a moment when attention is already turning towards World Cup preparations.

Jon Zilkha, Controller of BBC World Service English, said women’s football “continues to reach new audiences and break new ground around the world” and welcomed the award’s return for a twelfth year. He emphasised the impact of the five nominees over the past season and highlighted the first-time partnership with BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2026 as a way of giving the award “both a national and international platform”.

Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, described BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year as one of the biggest honours in the women’s game and said that showcasing it within the Sports Personality of the Year programme “makes it bigger than ever”, bringing together football fans across the UK and globally.

What the nomination means for the players

For the five shortlisted footballers, selection recognises contributions across multiple competitions, from domestic leagues and cups to continental club tournaments and international fixtures.

Temwa Chawinga reflected on Malawi’s run to the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and qualification for a first World Cup, describing it as “a dream come true” for herself, her sister and the country. She highlighted becoming a back-to-back Most Valuable Player in the NWSL and the significance of Malawi now competing “on the big stage”.

Ewa Pajor called her nomination “a big privilege” after a season in which she won four trophies with Barcelona. She spoke of learning from five previous Champions League final defeats and the importance of finally lifting the trophy and celebrating the moment with team-mates, staff and family.

Alexia Putellas, reflecting on playing 500 games for Barcelona and winning a quadruple, described the last 12 months as “very emotional”. She said she felt grateful to reach the 500-game milestone in a Champions League match at Spotify Camp Nou, win four trophies and claim the Nations League title with Spain. On winning the Champions League in her final season for Barcelona, she said that leaving after winning everything felt like the right moment.

Alessia Russo discussed winning the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup with Arsenal, describing it as “really special” given the club’s long-standing history and the chance to create “a new little piece of history” by lifting the trophy at Emirates Stadium. She also reflected on finishing as second highest goalscorer in the WSL and leading Arsenal’s attack, stressing the need to “step up and embrace wearing the badge” and her focus on continual improvement.

Khadija Shaw said the last 12 months have been the best of her career, citing winning the league, the FA Cup, recording the fastest hat-trick in the Women’s Super League and reaching 100 goals for Manchester City. She described winning the WSL title as a highlight, noting that it had been 10 years since Manchester City last won the league and that the team had been close in previous seasons before finally “getting over the line” and lifting the trophy.

Impact on club and international landscapes

The shortlist intersects with several key competitions and narratives across the women’s game.

• Chawinga’s achievements come against the backdrop of Malawi emerging as a contender in continental competition and preparing for a debut on the World Cup stage.
• Pajor and Putellas are recognised for their roles in a Barcelona side that has been central to the recent evolution of women’s club football in Europe, as well as for contributions at international level.
• Russo’s performances for Arsenal link individual form to a club pushing to convert domestic and international campaigns into long-term silverware.
• Shaw’s season with Manchester City reflects the fine margins in title races in the Women’s Super League era and shows how sustained scoring output can tilt major domestic honours.

For national-team coaches and technical staff, awards of this type are not formal selection criteria, but they do reinforce perceptions of players who consistently influence matches in club and international environments. In cycles leading into a World Cup, visibility at this level can support leadership roles within squads and strengthen the public profile of teams heading into major tournaments.

Public vote and announcement details

Members of the public can vote online for their preferred candidate and learn more about the award on the BBC Women’s Football website. Voting remains open until 9am GMT on Wednesday 18 November.

The winner of the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year 2026 will be announced on Sunday 13 December on BBC World Service’s Sportsworld and during BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2026 on BBC One and iPlayer, with further coverage on Newsday the following day.

GD2

Follow for more