Arsenal star receives New Year’s Honour, but 27yo snubbed again | OneFootball

Leah Williamson has been awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List 2026, while Chloe Kelly has again been overlooked despite England’s European Championship success.

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The Arsenal vice captain receives the honour for services to association football after a year in which she helped deliver the club’s UEFA Women’s Champions League title in May and then captained England to a second consecutive UEFA European Championship victory in July.

Williamson had previously been awarded an OBE in 2023 following England’s first Euros triumph in 2022.

Williamson, who joined the club as a child nearly 20 years ago, has become one of the most prominent figures in the women’s game.

Her CBE comes as several other members of the Lionesses squad are also recognised in this year’s honours list.

Arsenal’s chief executive officer Richard Garlick said the award reflected both Williamson’s achievements on the pitch and her wider influence.

“On behalf of everyone at Arsenal Football Club, we congratulate Leah on receiving a CBE in the New Year Honours List 2026,” he said.

“Leah’s achievements in 2025 have been inspirational to everyone connected to Arsenal and millions of people across the country. She played an integral role in our historic Champions League triumph in Lisbon in May, before becoming the first England captain in history to lead the country to back-to-back tournament wins in Switzerland in July.

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“We’re immensely proud of the way Leah represents Arsenal and how she uses her platform to drive continued progress for women and girls everywhere.”

Alongside Williamson’s CBE, Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone have been appointed MBEs following England’s Euros win, while head coach Sarina Wiegman has been awarded an honorary damehood.

Wiegman said: “I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this honour. When I first arrived in England, I could never have imagined the respect and warmth I’ve experienced from the English people. I deeply thank the fans for their support.”

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Kelly, who scored the winning penalty against Spain in the European Championship final in July, was again absent from the honours list, having also been overlooked after her winning goal in the Euro 2022 final.

Former sports minister Tracey Crouch said: “Some players were rightly honoured after winning in 2022, but others, like Chloe Kelly, were left off and now it is time to recognise their phenomenal and inspirational contribution to English women’s football.”

A Cabinet Office source said the honours committee has moved away from routinely awarding honours to entire teams following major tournament success, citing a shift away from what critics had described as an automatic process rather than recognition for exceptional service.