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·16 December 2025

FIFA Best Awards: What are they? Who is nominated? How are winners decided?

Article image:FIFA Best Awards: What are they? Who is nominated? How are winners decided?

Top awards to be handed out tonight

The FIFA Best Awards take place this evening, with plenty of star names shortlisted for top awards to end 2025.

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There are prizes for best men’s and women’s players, as well as others for goalkeepers and coaches.

Last year, Vinicius Junior and Aitana Bonmati took home the two outfield gongs.

Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez won the men’s goalkeeper award, and Alyssa Naeher was named best women’s shot-stopper, beating Mary Earps.

Carlo Ancelotti and Emma Hayes were the best coaches.

What are the FIFA Best Awards?

This set of awards is handed out by FIFA, and started back in 2017.

The prizes are given to the best-performing players and coaches over the course of a year, which spans from August 2024 to August 2025.

It is similar in theory to the Ballon d’Or, although that is considered more prestigious due to its long-ranging history. The Ballon d’Or is also not a FIFA prize, instead handed out by France Football.

FIFA previously partnered with France Football between 2010 and 2015 for the Ballon d’Or, which became known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or in that time, but it has since reverted to its normal format.

Article image:FIFA Best Awards: What are they? Who is nominated? How are winners decided?

Nominated: Cole Palmer

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

When are the FIFA Best Awards?

The ceremony takes place tonight - Tuesday, December 16, 2025 - taking place in Doha, Qatar.

Proceedings start at 5pm GMT.

Who is nominated?

The Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees

  • Ousmane Dembele, France and Paris Saint-Germain
  • Achraf Hakimi, Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain
  • Harry Kane, England and Bayern Munich
  • Kylian Mbappe, France and Real Madrid
  • Nuno Mendes, Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain
  • Cole Palmer, England and Chelsea
  • Pedri, Spain and Barcelona
  • Raphinha, Brazil and Barcelona
  • Mohamed Salah, Egypt and Liverpool
  • Vitinha, Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain
  • Lamine Yamal, Spain and Barcelona

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach nominees

  • Javier Aguirre, Mexico
  • Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
  • Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain
  • Hansi Flick, Barcelona
  • Enzo Maresca, Chelsea
  • Roberto Martinez, Portugal
  • Arne Slot, Liverpool

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper nominees

  • Alisson Becker, Brazil and Liverpool
  • Thibaut Courtois, Belgium and Real Madrid
  • Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy and Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester City
  • Emiliano Martinez, Argentina and Aston Villa
  • Manuel Neuer, Germany and Bayern Munich
  • David Raya, Spain and Arsenal
  • Yann Sommer, Switzerland and Inter Milan
  • Wojciech Szczesny, Poland and Barcelona

The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees

  • Sandy Baltimore, France and Chelsea
  • Nathalie Bjorn, Sweden and Chelsea
  • Aitana Bonmati, Spain and Barcelona
  • Lucy Bronze, England and Chelsea
  • Mariona Caldentey, Spain and Arsenal
  • Temwa Chawinga, Malawi and Kansas City Current
  • Diani Kadidiatou, France and Olympique Lyonnais
  • Melchie Dumornay, Haiti and Olympique Lyonnais
  • Patri Guijarro, Spain and Barcelona
  • Lindsey Heaps, USA and Olympique Lyonnais
  • Lauren James, England and Chelsea
  • Chloe Kelly, England and Manchester City/Arsenal
  • Ewa Pajor, Poland and Barcelona
  • Claudia Pina, Spain and Barcelona
  • Alexia Putellas, Spain and Barcelona
  • Alessia Russo, England and Arsenal
  • Leah Williamson, England and Arsenal

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach nominees

  • Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea
  • Jonatan Giraldez, Washington Spirit/Olympique Lyonnais
  • Seb Hines, Orlando Pride
  • Renee Slegers, Arsenal
  • Sarina Wiegman, England

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper nominees

  • Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany and Gotham FC
  • Cata Coll, Spain and Barcelona
  • Christiane Endler, Chile and Olympique Lyonnais
  • Hannah Hampton, England and Chelsea
  • Anna Moorhouse, England and Orlando Pride
  • Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria and Paris FC/Brighton & Hove Albion
  • Phallon Tullis-Joyce, USA and Manchester United

How are winners decided?

Winners are selected by a vote from an multinational panel.

Among those panel members are coaches and captains of all the men’s international sides, limited to one coach and captain per team.

Coaches and captains can vote for compatriots, but cannot vote for themselves.

There is also a specialist journalist picked from each territory, and fans who are registered on FIFA’s website could also cast their vote.

All votes count the same, selecting their top three players, goalkeepers and coaches.

First nominated receives five points, the second gets three, and the third one.

The nominee with the most points wins the award.

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