March 3 – The shortlist for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards has been confirmed, with football once again heavily represented across the main categories ahead of April’s ceremony in Madrid.
The Laureus Awards – voted for by the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy and staged this year at Cibeles Palace on April 20 – are regarded as one of global sport’s highest honours, cutting across disciplines rather than focusing on a single code. For football, they offer a rare platform to rub shoulders alongside the likes of Formula 1, athletics, tennis and cycling.
In the men’s category, Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé is nominated for World Sportsman of the Year following a season that delivered both the Ballon d’Or and a six-trophy sweep with Paris Saint-Germain, including a first UEFA Champions League title.
PSG’s UCL triumph also feeds into the World Team of the Year category, where the French champions are shortlisted after defeating Internazionale Milano 5-0 in the final. Désiré Doué, who scored twice in that showpiece, is nominated separately for Breakthrough of the Year, recognition of a campaign that accelerated his status at elite level.
Also announced this morning, England Women’s national team are nominated for World Team of the Year after defending their European Championship title, overcoming Spain on penalties in the 2025 final. Their route included a recovery from an opening defeat to France and a dramatic turnaround against Sweden, underlining a resilience that has become a hallmark of this cycle.
At the centre of that success was Leah Williamson. The Arsenal captain, who missed the 2023 World Cup with an ACL injury, returned to lead England to another continental title and helped her club claim the UEFA Women’s Champions League with victory over Barcelona. Her comeback places her among the standout individual stories on the broader Laureus shortlist.
In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmatí is nominated for World Sportswoman of the Year for the third consecutive year. The Barcelona midfielder secured a third straight Ballon d’Or after guiding her club to a domestic treble and again reaching the latter stages of both the Champions League and the European Championship. Bonmatí won the Laureus award in 2024.
“I’d like to thank Laureus and their panel of global sports media for nominating me for this Award for the third time in a row,” Bonmatí said. “It’s a pleasure to be recognised, but this nomination wouldn’t be possible without my teammates and all of the staff and coaches for my club and national team. These Awards help us athletes give visibility to our own causes: thanks to Laureus, my work and the achievements of my fellow Nominees can inspire girls and boys around the world, and that’s a huge source of pride for me.”
Elsewhere, the football-related presence across categories reflects a year in which the club and international game delivered defining moments that transcended just football: PSG’s European breakthrough, England’s continued dominance in the women’s game, and individual peaks for players operating at the top of the sport.
With voting now in the hands of the Laureus World Sports Academy, football will once again look to convert its global reach into silverware of a different kind when the awards are handed out in Madrid next month.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1772536118labto1772536118ofdlr1772536118owedi1772536118sni@g1772536118niwe.1772536118yrrah1772536118
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