The nominees for the London Football Awards 2026, sponsored by MiQ, have been unveiled, showcasing the outstanding performances, leadership, and community impact of clubs and players across the capital during the 2025/26 season.
This year’s shortlist highlights the continued influence of London’s elite clubs, with Arsenal leading the way with nine nominations across their men’s and women’s teams, closely followed by Chelsea with six. The Gunners’ dominance on the pitch is reflected in the Premier League Player of the Year category, where both Declan Rice and Jurriën Timber are nominated, as Arsenal sit top of the table in pursuit of their first league title in 22 years.
The Arsenal pair will compete against Igor Thiago, who has enjoyed a stellar season in front of goal with 16 league strikes, as well as Harry Wilson, whose 12 goal contributions in 2025/26 have helped Fulham climb to ninth in the table. Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo completes the shortlist.
Arsenal’s presence continues across the awards, including a Manager of the Year nomination for Mikel Arteta and a Goalkeeper of the Year nomination for David Raya.
Premier League players feature strongly in this year’s Young Player of the Year award, which recognises players aged under 21 at the start of the calendar year in which the season began. Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton is nominated alongside Chelsea’s Estêvão, who has made an impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge since his summer arrival. Brentford defender Michael Kayode, Fulham’s Josh King, and West Ham’s Oliver Scarles are also shortlisted.
In the Women’s Super League, Arsenal again lead the way with three nominations for WSL Player of the Year, as Alessia Russo, Emily Fox, and Kim Little MBE are all recognised. They are joined on the shortlist by Chelsea midfielder Keira Walsh and Tottenham Hotspur’s Olivia Holdt.
Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson, a new signing for the 2025/26 season, joins teammate Wieke Kaptein among the nominees for Women’s Young Player of the Year, while Tottenham Hotspur receive two nominations through Cathinka Tandberg and Tōko Koga. Freya Godfrey completes the category, recognised for her performances with London City Lionesses in their first WSL season.
In the EFL, Bromley’s outstanding campaign, which sees them top of League Two, is reflected with multiple nominations. Michael Cheek and Mitch Pinnock are shortlisted for EFL Player of the Year, while Grant Smith is nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year and Andy Woodman for Manager of the Year. Millwall’s strong Championship season is also recognised, with Femi Azeez and Tristan Crama nominated for EFL Player of the Year and Alex Neil shortlisted for Manager of the Year.
The London Football Awards 2026 will also introduce two new community-focused honours: the men’s and women’s PFA Player in the Community Champion awards, celebrating standout player-led initiatives that took place during 2025.
Eberechi Eze & The Eze Foundation are recognised alongside QPR’s Jimmy Dunne and Millwall’s Lukas Jensen in the men’s category. In the women’s category, nominees include Chelsea’s Millie Bright OBE, Watford’s Anna Filbey, and Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy.
Community impact is further celebrated through the Community Project of the Year award, with nominations for the Millwall Community Trust, Palace for Life Foundation, and West Ham Foundation.
The awards are organised by Willow, a national charity that provides special experiences for seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40, with proceeds from the event helping to create more memory-making opportunities.
Speaking about the awards, David Seaman MBE, former Arsenal goalkeeper and Honorary President of Willow Foundation, said: “We’ve got an incredible list of nominees for our 2026 awards, recognising the very best of our footballing community here in London. So many of our clubs have achieved remarkable things both on and off the pitch this season, and we’re excited to celebrate these accomplishments next month, all whilst raising vital funds for Willow.”
Now in its 12th year, the London Football Awards celebrates the achievements of players, clubs, and initiatives across the capital.
Willow was founded by former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV presenter Bob Wilson and his wife Megs following the death of their daughter Anna from cancer at the age of 31. To date, the charity has provided more than 23,500 special days to young adults across the UK.
