2026 PFA Awards: Full Winners And Teams Of The Year

The 2026 PFA Awards have recognised outstanding players across English football, with stars from the Premier League, Championship and lower divisions receiving honours.

The ceremony features 74 awards, covering the Premier League, Championship, League One, League Two, Women’s Super League and WSL 2. Former England international Karen Carney and Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish will also receive PFA Merit Awards for their contributions to English football.

The biggest individual prize, the Men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year, is still to be announced. Bruno Fernandes, David Raya, Declan Rice, Erling Haaland, Gabriel Magalhaes and Rayan Cherki are the six players shortlisted after their performances during the 2025/26 season.

Here are the winners and teams announced so far:

Award	Winner
Men’s PFA Young Player of the Year	Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City)
Women’s PFA Young Player of the Year	Olivia Smith (Arsenal)
League Two Players’ Player of the Year	Aaron Drinan (Swindon Town)
League One Players’ Player of the Year	Dom Ballard (Leyton Orient)
Championship Players’ Player of the Year	Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough)
WSL 2 Players’ Player of the Year	Lily Crosthwaite (Birmingham City)

O’Reilly won the Men’s PFA Young Player of the Year award ahead of team-mate Rayan Cherki, Arsenal’s Max Dowman, Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha.

Smith retained the Women’s PFA Young Player of the Year award for a second straight year. She finished ahead of Laura Blindkilde Brown, Veerle Buurman, Freya Godfrey, Tōko Koga and Alyssa Thompson.

Drinan claimed the League Two prize ahead of Sammy Braybrooke, Michael Cheek, Callum Paterson, Mitch Pinnock and Omar Sowunmi. Ballard took the League One award after beating Amario Cozier-Duberry, David McGoldrick, Jack Moylan, Oliver Norwood and Kyle Wootton.

Hackney won the Championship PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, seeing off Matt Grimes, Jack Rudoni, Carl Rushworth, Žan Vipotnik and Haji Wright.

Crosthwaite collected the WSL 2 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award ahead of Ellie Brazil, Abbie Larkin, Emily Syme, Ashleigh Weerden and Sophie Whitehouse.

The PFA Team of the Year selections also feature a strong mix of established names and emerging players.

League Two PFA Team of the Year

• Goalkeeper: Mathew Hudson (Oldham Athletic)
• Defenders: Omar Sowunmi (Bromley), Kelland Watts (Cambridge United), Jack Sanders (MK Dons), James Gibbons (Cambridge United)
• Midfielders: Alex Gilbey (MK Dons), Mitch Pinnock (Bromley), Sammy Braybrooke (Chesterfield)
• Forwards: Aaron Drinan (Swindon Town), Michael Cheek (Bromley), Callum Paterson (MK Dons)

League One PFA Team of the Year

• Goalkeeper: George Wickens (Lincoln City)
• Defenders: Sonny Bradley (Lincoln City), Tendayi Darikwa (Lincoln City), Perry Ng (Cardiff City), Carl Piergianni (Stevenage)
• Midfielders: Oliver Norwood (Stockport County), Lewis Wing (Reading), Jack Moylan (Lincoln City)
• Forwards: Dom Ballard (Leyton Orient), Kyle Wootton (Stockport County), Amario Cozier-Duberry (Bolton Wanderers)

Championship PFA Team of the Year

• Goalkeeper: Carl Rushworth (Coventry City)
• Defenders: Milan van Ewijk (Coventry City), Bobby Thomas (Coventry City), Tristan Crama (Millwall), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton)
• Midfielders: Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough), Matt Grimes (Coventry City), Jack Rudoni (Coventry City)
• Forwards: Žan Vipotnik (Swansea City), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Femi Azeez (Millwall)

The women’s awards also highlighted several of the season’s leading performers. The WSL 2 PFA Team of the Year includes Sophie Whitehouse in goal, while Crystal Palace, Birmingham City and Bristol City are among the clubs strongly represented.

• Goalkeeper: Sophie Whitehouse (Charlton Athletic)
• Defenders: Aimee Everett (Crystal Palace), Neve Herron (Birmingham City), Rebecca McKenna (Birmingham City), Mari Ward (Bristol City)
• Midfielders: Emily Syme (Bristol City), Jordan Nobbs (Newcastle United), Annabel Blanchard (Crystal Palace)
• Forwards: Lily Crosthwaite (Birmingham City), Ashleigh Weerden (Crystal Palace), Emily Murphy (Newcastle United)

The PFA WSL Team of the Year features Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, with Kerstin Casparij, Tōko Koga, Ellie Carpenter and Emily Fox in defence.

• Goalkeeper: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)
• Defenders: Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City), Tōko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur), Ellie Carpenter (Chelsea), Emily Fox (Arsenal)
• Midfielders: Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City), Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal), Jessica Park (Manchester United)
• Forwards: Bunny Shaw (Manchester City), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Lauren James (Chelsea)

The PFA Premier League Team of the Year includes several of the division’s biggest names. Arsenal provide four players, while Manchester City and Manchester United also feature prominently.

• Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal)
• Defenders: Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), William Saliba (Arsenal), Jurriën Timber (Arsenal)
• Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City)
• Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Igor Thiago (Brentford)

The final major prize of the 2026 PFA Awards will go to one of six shortlisted players: Bruno Fernandes, David Raya, Declan Rice, Erling Haaland, Gabriel Magalhaes or Rayan Cherki.

The ceremony will also recognise Karen Carney and Kenny Dalglish with PFA Merit Awards, celebrating their lasting impact on English football.

Who deserves to win the Men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year award?