The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) has officially released the final shortlist for its 2026 Players’ Player of the Year awards, with nominees confirmed across multiple categories spanning the men’s and women’s game, as well as England’s top four divisions.
What makes the awards especially prestigious is the voting process itself, as winners are decided by fellow professional footballers, making it one of the most respected individual honours in English football.
This year’s list highlights standout performers from across the English football pyramid, with players rewarded for consistent excellence over the course of the season.
Men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year
- Rayan Cherki — Manchester City
- Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United
- Erling Haaland — Manchester City
- Gabriel Magalhães — Arsenal
- David Raya — Arsenal
- Declan Rice — Arsenal
View this post on Instagram
Women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year
- Kirsty Hanson — Aston Villa
- Yui Hasegawa — Manchester City
- Lauren James — Chelsea
- Jess Park — Manchester United
- Alessia Russo — Arsenal
- Bunny Shaw — Manchester City
View this post on Instagram
Men’s PFA Young Player of the Year
- Rayan Cherki — Manchester City
- Max Dowman — Arsenal
- Junior Kroupi — Bournemouth
- Kobbie Mainoo — Manchester United
- Rio Ngumoha — Liverpool
- Nico O’Reilly — Manchester City
Women’s PFA Young Player of the Year
- Laura Blindkilde Brown — Manchester City
- Veerle Buurman — Chelsea
- Freya Godfrey — London City Lionesses
- Tōko Koga — Tottenham Hotspur
- Olivia Smith — Arsenal
- Alyssa Thompson — Chelsea
WSL2 PFA Players’ Player of the Year
- Ellie Brazil — Southampton
- Lily Crosthwaite — Birmingham City
- Abbie Larkin — Crystal Palace
- Emily Syme — Bristol City
- Ashleigh Weerden — Crystal Palace
- Sophie Whitehouse — Charlton Athletic
Championship PFA Players’ Player of the Year
- Matt Grimes — Coventry City
- Hayden Hackney — Middlesbrough
- Jack Rudoni — Coventry City
- Carl Rushworth — Coventry City
- Žan Vipotnik — Swansea City
- Haji Wright — Coventry City
League One PFA Players’ Player of the Year
- Dom Ballard — Leyton Orient
- Amario Cozier-Duberry — Bolton Wanderers
- David McGoldrick — Barnsley
- Jack Moylan — Lincoln City
- Oliver Norwood — Stockport County
- Kyle Wootton — Stockport County
League Two PFA Players’ Player of the Year
- Sammy Braybrooke — Chesterfield
- Michael Cheek — Bromley
- Aaron Drinan — Swindon Town
- Callum Paterson — MK Dons
- Mitch Pinnock — Bromley
- Omar Sowunmi — Bromley
With strong representation from clubs like Manchester City, Arsenal, Coventry City, and Bromley across multiple categories, this year’s shortlist reflects a season packed with standout individual performances at every level of English football.