The shortlist for BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year has been revealed, with the 2026 winner to be announced globally on BBC World Service’s Sportsworld and, in a historic first, at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards on Sunday, December 13 – live on BBC One and iPlayer at 5:45pm.
The footballers shortlisted for the award this year are (in alphabetical order by surname):
- 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
Announced on Newsday, BBC World Service has revealed the five footballers shortlisted for the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year 2026 award, as voting opened to the public.
Voting is free and open globally for members of the public to vote for their standout player on bbc.com/womensfootball. The vote will close at 9am GMT on Wednesday 18 November.
Now in its 12th year, nominees of the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year award are selected by an expert panel comprising of current and former players, coaches and journalists. The nominees for the award have shown their outstanding talent between September 2025 and August 2026.
Previous winners of the award include 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.
For the first time in the award’s history, the winner will be announced live at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2026 on Sunday, December 13, whilst simultaneously announced on the BBC World Service’s Sportsworld programme. Audiences around the world will also be able to tune into additional coverage on Newsday on BBC World Service radio on Monday, December 14.
Since BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year was launched in 2015, women’s football has experienced unprecedented growth and global recognition. Announcing the award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards and on BBC World Service’s Sportsworld brings one of the game’s most prestigious individual honours onto some of sport’s biggest stages, celebrating the achievements of players before a UK and international audience as anticipation builds towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
Jon Zilkha, Controller of BBC World Service English, says: “Women’s football continues to reach new audiences and break new ground around the world so I’m delighted that the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year award will be returning for its twelfth year of championing the sport.
“Over the past year the five nominees have thrilled fans with their skill and determination, and I can’t wait to see football supporters everywhere have their say and celebrate the remarkable players shaping the game. I’m also pleased to be partnering with BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2026 for the first time, giving both a national and international platform for the award as we champion these brilliant sportswomen.”
BBC Sports Personality of the Year remains one of the most prestigious and eagerly anticipated events in the British sporting calendar. Women’s Footballer of the Year will be announced as part of the live programme alongside all of this year’s award categories*, including the main award.
Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, said: “BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year has built a fantastic reputation as one of the biggest honours in the women’s game. Showcasing it as part of BBC Sports Personality of the Year makes it bigger than ever, bringing together football fans from across the UK and around the world to have their say. The shortlist is packed with exceptional talent, and I’m excited to see who the public crowns as winner on the night.”
In the lead up to voting opening, BBC World Service spoke to the sportswomen nominated for this year’s award.
Reflecting on her success with Malawi, Temwa Chawinga said: “People didn’t give us any chance to be in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but we fight hard. Also qualifying for [our first] World Cup, not only for me and my sister, but for the whole country of Malawi, it’s just a dream come true. When I was young, I never thought about being at this level and I was thinking maybe I’ll just play in Malawi. Now I became a back-to-back MVP (Most Valuable Player) in the NWSL and now Malawi is playing on the big stage, it means a lot.”
On being nominated for the BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year 2026, Ewa Pajor said: “I will never forget this moment. It’s a big privilege for me to be nominated for this award, it was a great season for the team. It’s been a special year for me to win four trophies with Barcelona. After the five Champions League finals I lost, I learned a lot from those finals. To win was a big moment for me and was very special to celebrate with my team-mates, staff and family.”
Alexia Putellas, on playing 500 games for Barcelona and winning the quadruple, said: “The last 12 months have been very emotional, but I feel so grateful to be able to achieve 500 games in a Champions League game in Spotify Camp Nou, winning four trophies and winning the Nations League with the national team (Spain).”
On winning the Champions League in her final season for Barcelona, she also said: “It was something special. If you have to imagine the best moment for leaving Barcelona, in my case, it was winning everything. It’s not just one thing that made me take that decision, it’s a lot of things and then we won the Champions League and I felt that 100% it has to be now.”
Alessia Russo, reflecting on winning the inaugural FIFA Champions Cup with Arsenal, said: “To win that trophy as the first ones was really special. Arsenal has so much history and for us to create a new little piece of history felt really nice and to win it at the Emirates.”
On finishing second highest goalscorer in the WSL and leading Arsenal’s attack she said: “When you join a club like Arsenal you have to just step up and embrace wearing the badge. I’m always so self-critical of myself and want to find the extra 1% and I think that the staff as well push me to find those extra 1% so that’s great and I think I’m just constantly learning.”
On being nominated for BBC World Service Women’s Footballer of the Year, Khadija Shaw said: “From winning the league, the FA Cup, to getting the fastest hat trick in the Women’s Super League and then scoring 100 goals (for Manchester City), I would say the last 12 months has been the best of my career. It’s been incredible.”
On winning the WSL title with Manchester City: “I would definitely say that’s one of my highlights winning the league, knowing that it’s been 10 years (since Manchester City last won the title) and we’ve been so close over the past couple of years, to finally get over the line and to lift that trophy.”
Members of the public can now vote online for their favourite player and learn more about the award on bbc.com/womensfootball.
