Beiranvand, Al Brikan, Al Dawsari in contention for Asian top player prize
KUALA LUMPUR: Asia’s best footballers are set to be crowned on November 19 at the glittering AFC Awards Bangkok 2026, which will be staged at the Aksra Theatre King Power.
Six players are in contention for the most prestigious accolade of the night at the 30th edition of the showpiece gala, as it takes place in the Thai capital city for a second time after its 2017 hosting.
Alireza Beiranvand, Feras Al Brikan and Salem Al Dawsari are the trio of nominees for the AFC Player of the Year prize, while Holly McNamara, Kim Kyong Yong and Kim Hye-ri will vie for the AFC Women’s Player of the Year honour.
Shortlisted on the basis of their consistent and exemplary performances at both club and international levels between August 2025 and July 2026, each of them has made an unforgettable impact and underlined the world-class abilities of Asian players to deservedly earn their nominations for the ultimate individual glory.
AFC PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alireza Beiranvand
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s number one stood tall on the biggest stage once again with his splendid performances at the FIFA World Cup 2026, even as they missed out on progress from the Group Stage on goal difference.
In particular, Beiranvand produced an astonishing point-blank stop to deny Maxim De Cuyper during their 0-0 draw against Belgium, in which the 34-year-old tallied seven saves and was named the Player of the Match.
One of Asia’s best custodians, the 1.95m giant made his senior international debut in 2015 and has become Team Melli’s most-capped goalkeeper with 90 appearances, representing them at each of the last three AFC Asian Cup™ and FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Beiranvand, who began his professional career in 2011, also enjoyed a stellar campaign at club level with Tractor FC. He helped them reach the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ Round of 16 to end a four-year absence from the competition, while also securing a consecutive direct qualification by finishing second in the league.
The only goalkeeper to be shortlisted for this prize apart from Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Al Deayea back in 1996, this is Beiranvand’s second nomination after 2019, and he could make history with a win.
Feras Al Brikan
Instinctively swivelling to lash home an unerring finish, Al Brikan instantly became the hero for Al Ahli Saudi FC in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ Final as his 96th-minute goal proved to be the all-important decider.
The 26-year-old’s contribution in Extra Time, possibly the most important strike of his career, saw his club retain the crown and become only the second team to win back-to-back titles in the modern era.
Al Brikan, who is the first Al Ahli Saudi player to earn a nomination, also appeared in every league match and contributed five goals towards their third-place finish, while helping them win the Saudi Super Cup for the second time.
A Saudi Arabia international since 2019 with 19 goals in 80 caps, Al Brikan netted twice in a crucial win against Indonesia in the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 Playoffs to help his nation qualify for a seventh FIFA World Cup. In the United States, the striker started all three matches as the Green Falcons bowed out in the Group Stage.
Salem Al Dawsari
After clinching this accolade in each of his previous nominations (2022 and 2025), Al Dawsari can become the first-ever three-time Men’s winner if he holds on to the trophy at this edition and equal Aya Miyama’s record three prizes in the Women’s category.
One of Asia’s greatest ever, the 35-year-old continues to be integral for club and country, wearing the armband for both. After successfully leading Saudi Arabia through the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 Playoffs, Al Dawsari featured in every game at the FIFA World Cup 2026 to take his tally to nine matches across three tournaments. That saw him move to joint-second for most appearances at a FIFA World Cup by a Saudi player, behind only Mohammed Al Deayea’s 10.
Capped 114 times for the Green Falcons, the mercurial attacker has spent his entire domestic career at Al Hilal SFC and is one of their leading appearance-makers (506) and scorers (147).
Al Dawsari led Al Hilal in achieving an unbeaten 2025/26 league campaign as they finished second, while adding a record 10th King’s Cup title. On Asia’s grandest stage, he helped the Blue Wave progress to the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26™ Round of 16, in the process increasing his total appearances to a record-extending 110 and climbing to third on the competition’s all-time top scorers’ chart with 35.
AFC WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Holly McNamara
Following in the illustrious footsteps of Sam Kerr (2017, 2018), McNamara becomes the second Australian to earn two consecutive nominations after recording another sensational campaign in 2025/26.
With 12 goals in 18 matches, the forward claimed back-to-back Golden Boots—only Kerr had previously done so—to drive Melbourne City FC to their third consecutive A-League Women Premiership and a joint-record fifth overall. The 23-year-old then hit a brace in the Grand Final to help City win the Championship for the first time since 2020 – also a joint-record fifth in total.
Equally prolific on the Continental stage, McNamara struck four times in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26™ as City progressed to the last four – a tally that saw her finish as Top Scorer.
Capped 22 times for the Matildas, the Sydney native participated in her second AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ as they finished runners-up on home soil in 2026, and currently has four goals to her name.
In July 2026, McNamara departed City as their all-time top scorer with 45 goals in 66 appearances for England’s Everton FC, where she wears the number nine.
Kim Kyong Yong
Powered by the barnstorming performances of Kim, Naegohyang Women’s FC’s Continental debut ended in ultimate glory as they became the first-ever club from DPR Korea—men’s or women’s—to win an AFC competition by lifting the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26™ trophy.
Having helped them advance from the preliminaries, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player started all six matches and netted in each of the last four – including the deciding goal of their Semi-final and the only strike in the Final, showcasing her abilities on the elite stage for the club that she joined at 12.
Pacy, aggressive and clinical, Kim also plundered goals at youth level for DPR Korea before making her senior debut in 2023. At the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™, the 24-year-old netted four times at her maiden tournament—joint third-most overall—as the East Asians went to the last eight and subsequently sealed qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 via the Playoffs.
Kim Hye-ri
With her second nomination in three editions, Kim has underlined her continued prowess at the top level in the 16th year of her professional career.
The first from her country to be shortlisted twice for an award that has never been won by a Korea Republic player, the veteran defender turned in a solid campaign – with two different clubs, no less.
Kim provided the assist for the only goal in Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC opening win against Auckland United FC in the very first match of the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, and featured in their second-round fixture against AS FAR as they bowed out after defeat in Extra Time.
The 36-year-old also played her part in Wuhan Jiangda’s progress from the Group Stage of the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26™, before carrying on the journey with Suwon FC Women. Having moved home in January to join her third domestic club, Kim scored in their Quarter-final win as they ultimately exited in the last four. In the league, the versatile defender has helped Suwon top the 2026 table to reach the championship final in November, where the title will be decided.
An ever-present for the Taegeuk Ladies since her debut in 2010, Kim has accumulated 148 caps to rank fourth on their all-time appearance list and one of her three international goals came during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™, where she was involved in every match on their way to the Semi-finals.
