Kenya Sport

PFA Awards 2026: Complete List of Winners

The 53rd Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Awards took place on Tuesday night at the Manchester Opera House, celebrating the top soccer players across England’s Premier League, EFL Championship, League One and Two, Women’s Super League (WSL), and WSL 2 for the 2025–26 season. These awards, including Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and Team of the Year, are decided by votes from the players themselves.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United's midfielder, earned the men’s Player of the Year award after setting a new Premier League record with 21 assists in a single season. He is the first player from United to win this since Wayne Rooney in 2010.

Khadija “Bunny” Shaw of Manchester City won the women’s Player of the Year for the second time, making history as the first to secure three consecutive WSL golden boots last season. She scored 21 goals in 22 games, helping City clinch the title.

Men’s Player of the Year Nominees

  • Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
  • Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
  • Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
  • Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal)
  • David Raya (Arsenal)
  • Declan Rice (Arsenal)

Women’s Player of the Year Nominees

  • Khadija “Bunny” Shaw (Manchester City)
  • Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)
  • Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City)
  • Lauren James (Chelsea)
  • Jess Park (Manchester United)
  • Alessia Russo (Arsenal)

Men’s Young Player of the Year

Nico O’Reilly, a versatile 21-year-old from Manchester City, was honored as the men’s Young Player of the Year.

  • Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
  • Max Dowman (Arsenal)
  • Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth)
  • Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
  • Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool)

Women’s Young Player of the Year

Olivia Smith, Arsenal forward aged 22, received the women’s Young Player of the Year award for the second straight year.

  • Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City)
  • Veerle Buurman (Chelsea)
  • Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses)
  • Tōko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur)
  • Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)

PFA Premier League Team of the Year

  • David Raya (GK, Arsenal)
  • Gabriel Magalhães (D, Arsenal)
  • Nico O’Reilly (D, Manchester City)
  • William Saliba (D, Arsenal)
  • Jurriën Timber (D, Arsenal)
  • Bruno Fernandes (M, Manchester United)
  • Declan Rice (M, Arsenal)
  • Rayan Cherki (M, Manchester City)
  • Erling Haaland (F, Manchester City)
  • Antoine Semenyo (F, Manchester City)
  • Igor Thiago (F, Brentford)

PFA WSL Team of the Year

  • Hannah Hampton (GK, Chelsea)
  • Kerstin Casparij (D, Manchester City)
  • Tōko Koga (D, Tottenham Hotspur)
  • Ellie Carpenter (D, Chelsea)
  • Emily Fox (D, Arsenal)
  • Yui Hasegawa (M, Manchester City)
  • Mariona Caldentey (M, Arsenal)
  • Jessica Park (M, Manchester United)
  • Bunny Shaw (F, Manchester City)
  • Alessia Russo (F, Arsenal)
  • Lauren James (F, Chelsea)

Championship Player of the Year

Hayden Hackney, formerly of Middlesbrough and now with Everton, earned the Championship Player of the Year award.

Championship Team of the Year

  • Carl Rushworth (GK, Coventry City)
  • Milan van Ewijk (D, Coventry City)
  • Bobby Thomas (D, Coventry City)
  • Tristan Crama (D, Millwall)
  • Taylor Harwood-Bellis (D, Southampton)
  • Hayden Hackney (M, Middlesbrough)
  • Matt Grimes (M, Coventry City)
  • Jack Rudoni (M, Coventry City)
  • Žan Vipotnik (F, Swansea City)
  • Haji Wright (F, Coventry City)
  • Femi Azeez (F, Millwall)

WSL2 Player of the Year

Lily Crosthwaite, forward for Birmingham City, was named the inaugural WSL2 Player of the Year.

League One Player of the Year

Dom Ballard, previously with Leyton Orient and now at Bristol City, took the League One Player of the Year award.

League Two Player of the Year

Aaron Drinan, Swindon Town forward, claimed the League Two Player of the Year honor.

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