Nominees announced for the 2026 PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year Awards

Professional Footballers Australia (the PFA) has revealed the nominees for the annual 2026 Austraffic PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year awards.

The player-voted annual awards celebrate the best-performing women’s players in Australian football throughout the 2025-26 season in the following categories: Women’s Footballer of the Year and the Young Women’s Footballer of the Year.

The 12 nominees were selected based on performances between July 2025 and June 2026 in both club and international competitions, including the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia.

The nominees include a host of Australia’s stars competing at the top levels of the game internationally and back home in the A-League Women, including Matildas’ Alanna Kennedy, Sam Kerr, Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Holly McNamara and Winonah Heatley.

They are joined by Australia’s stars of the future, including 2025-26 Julie Dolan Medallist Isabel Gomez, Charlize Rule, Pia Vlok, Leticia McKenna, Talia Younis and 15-year-old breakout star Willa Pearson in the category of Young Footballer of the Year.

The nominees were selected by an expert panel of former players and media representatives. The final winners will be determined by a vote of PFA members. 

Last year’s winners were Matildas stars Steph Catley (Women’s Footballer of the Year) and Mary Fowler (Young Women’s Footballer of the Year).

2026 Nominees

PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year

Previous Winners: Steph Catley (2025, 2024, 2020), Sam Kerr (2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013), Ellie Carpenter (2021), Lydia Williams (2016, 2012), Elise Kellond-Knight (2015, 2011), Katrina Gorry (2014), Servet Uzunlar (2010)

PFA Young Women’s Footballer of the Year

Previous Winners: Mary Fowler (2025, 2024, 2022), Charlotte Grant (2023), Ellie Carpenter (2021, 2020), Karly Roestbakken (2019), Alex Chidiac (2018, 2017)