The Continent’s cream of the crop will be feted across a total of 19 award categories at the gala, headlined by the coveted Player of the Year accolades.

 

Alireza Beiranvand, Feras Al Brikan and Salem Al Dawsari are in contention for the AFC Player of the Year trophy, while Holly McNamara, Kim Kyong Yong and Kim Hye-ri are eyeing the AFC Women’s Player of the Year prize.

 

 

A stellar showing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 underlined Alireza Beiranvand’s world-class abilities as the Islamic Republic of Iran narrowly missed out on the Round of 32 on goal difference. His nation’s most-capped custodian, he also enjoyed a solid club campaign by helping Tractor FC to the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ Round of 16. This is the 34-year-old’s second nomination, after his first in 2019.

 

Feras Al Brikan earns his maiden nomination after a memorable campaign that saw him strike the winner in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ Final that saw Al Ahli Saudi FC become only the second team to claim consecutive titles. The 26-year-old striker helped the club to finish third in the league, while scoring twice in the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 Playoffs to help Saudi Arabia qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026, where he started all three games.

                                                                                                                  

Nominated for the third time in four editions, reigning AFC Player of the Year Salem Al Dawsari has the opportunity to clinch an unprecedented third award after 2022 and 2025. The Saudi Arabian legend increased his tally of FIFA World Cup matches to nine at the 2026 edition, taking him joint-second on the all-time appearance list for Saudi players. The 35-year-old also captained Al Hilal SFC to an unbeaten 2025/26 league campaign and a record 10th King’s Cup success, as well as the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ Knockout Stage.

 

 

Another sensational season in 2025/26 saw Holly McNamara continue where she left off and brought back-to-back nominations. The forward claimed consecutive Golden Boots in the league as she powered Melbourne City FC to a third straight Premier title and a first Championship crown in six years. The 23-year-old starred in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26™ as City reached the Semi-finals and emerged as Top Scorer with four goals, while she was part of the Matildas side that finished as AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ runners-up.

 

Naegohyang Women’s FC became the first-ever club from DPR Korea—men’s or women’s—to taste success in AFC competition when they lifted the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26™ trophy, with Kim Kyong Yong as a central figure. The Most Valuable Player scored in the last four matches, including the only goal in the Final as her side achieved historic glory on their Continental debut. The 24-year-old striker also bagged four goals at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ amid DPR Korea’s last-eight run and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 qualification.

 

Korea Republic stalwart Kim Hye-ri remains at the top of her game and has been nominated for a second occasion after 2023. After leading Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC through the Group Stage of the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26™, the 36-year-old moved to Suwon FC Women and helped them to a Semi-final finish. Kim has reached the championship final of the 2026 league season with Suwon, while the versatile defender also starred for the Taegeuk Ladies in their journey to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 Semi-finals.

 

Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in will hope to retain the AFC Asian International Player of the Year (Men) accolade against competition from Ayase Ueda and Hwang In-beom, as Yui Hasegawa earns a third nomination in as many editions for the women’s category that also comprises Alanna Kennedy and Caitlin Foord.

 

Joseph Montemurro, Go Kuroda and Sadayoshi Shirai are the trio of first-time nominees for the AFC Coach of the Year (Men) prize, while Marziyeh Jafari and Park Youn-jeong each vie for a second win in the women’s category with Ma Xiaoxu.

 

Rising star Ryunosuke Sato is contending for the AFC Youth Player of the Year (Men) with compatriots Maki Kitahara and Rion Ichihara, with the women’s category featuring DPR Korea pair Kim Won Sim and Yu Jong Hyang alongside Japan’s Noa Fukushima.

 

For individual profiles of the nominees, please click here.

 

The AFC Awards Bangkok 2026 kicks off on Thursday, November 19 at 7pm local time (GMT+7) and can be followed on the AFC’s YouTube and other digital platforms.

The full list of nominees for the AFC Awards Bangkok 2026 is below:

 

Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor FC [IRN] and IRN)

Feras Al Brikan (Al Ahli Saudi FC [KSA] and KSA)

Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal SFC [KSA] and KSA)

 

Holly McNamara (Melbourne City FC [AUS]/Everton FC [ENG] and AUS)

Kim Kyong Yong (Naegohyang Women's FC [PRK] and PRK)

Kim Hye-ri (Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC [CHN]/Suwon FC Women [KOR] and KOR)

 

Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord Rotterdam [NED]/LOSC Lille [FRA] and JPN)

Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord Rotterdam [NED]/FC Porto [POR] and KOR)

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain FC [FRA]/Atlético de Madrid [ESP] and KOR)

 

Alanna Kennedy (London City Lionesses [ENG] and AUS)

Caitlin Foord (Arsenal Women FC [ENG] and AUS)

Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City Women FC [ENG] and JPN)

 

Hossein Tayebi (Gohar Zamin [IRN] and IRN)

Saeid Ahmad Abbasi (Giti Pasand [IRN] and IRN)

Muhammad Osamanmusa (Jimbee Cartagena [ESP] and THA)

Joseph Montemurro (Australia Women and AUS)

Go Kuroda (FC Machida Zelvia [JPN] and JPN)

Sadayoshi Shirai (Japan U17 Women and JPN)

 

Ma Xiaoxu (China PR U17 Women and CHN)

Marziyeh Jafari (Bam Khatoon Women's FC [IRN] and IRN)

Park Youn-jeong (Korea Republic U20 Women and KOR)

 

Maki Kitahara (FC Tokyo [JPN] and JPN)

Rion Ichihara (AZ Alkmaar [NED] and JPN)

Ryunosuke Sato (FC Tokyo [JPN]/Valencia CF [ESP] and JPN)

 

Kim Won Sim (Pyongyang International Football School [PRK]/4.25 SC [PRK] and PRK)

Yu Jong Hyang (4.25 SC [PRK] and PRK)

Noa Fukushima (JFA Academy Fukushima [JPN] and JPN)

 

Japan Football Association

Jordan Football Association

Saudi Arabian Football Federation

 

Chinese Football Association

The Football Association of Thailand

Vietnam Football Federation

 

The Football Association of Hong Kong, China Limited

All India Football Federation

Football Association of Malaysia

 

Bangladesh Football Federation

Guam Football Association

Lao Football Federation

 

ASEAN Football Federation

Central Asian Football Association

South Asian Football Federation

 

Football Australia

Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran

Japan Football Association

 

Bangladesh Football Federation

Guam Football Association

All India Football Federation

 

Football Federation of Cambodia

Football Association of Indonesia

Myanmar Football Federation

 

Football Australia