Football
AFC names Beiranvand, Al-Brikan, Al-Dawsari for Asian Player of the Year
The Asian Football Confederation announced nominees for its annual awards, with Iran's Ali Reza Beiranvand competing against Saudi stars Feras Al-Brikan and Salem Al-Dawsari.
The Asian Football Confederation revealed the list of candidates for its annual awards on Friday. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 19. According to the AFC’s official website, elite players from across the continent will be honored in 19 categories, led by the prizes for the best male and female players in Asia.
Men's player race highlights
Iranian goalkeeper Ali Reza Beiranvand faces competition from Saudi duo Feras Al-Brikan and Salem Al-Dawsari for the title of Asian Player of the Year. Beiranvand’s strong performance at this year’s World Cup demonstrated his global capabilities, although Iran failed to advance to the round of 32 due to goal difference. He holds the record for the most appearances by a goalkeeper for his national team. Last season, he helped Iranian club Tractor reach the Round of 16 in the Elite Asian Champions League. This marks the second nomination for the 34-year-old, following his first selection in 2019.
Feras Al-Brikan received his first nomination after an unforgettable season. He scored the winning goal in last season’s Elite Asian Champions League final, securing the title for Saudi club Al-Ahli for the second consecutive time. This achievement made Al-Ahli only the second team to accomplish this feat. The 26-year-old international striker also guided his club to a third-place finish in the domestic league. Additionally, he netted two goals in the Asian playoff qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, contributing to the Green Team’s qualification. He started all three matches for the squad during the tournament.
Salem Al-Dawsari has been nominated for the third time in four editions of the awards. He aims to achieve an unprecedented feat by winning the prize for a third occasion, having previously claimed it in 2022 and 2025. The Saudi football legend increased his World Cup appearance tally to nine matches during the 2026 edition, tying for second place among the most-capped Saudi players in the tournament’s history. The 35-year-old star led Saudi club Al-Hilal through the 2025/2026 season, which concluded without any league defeats. Under his guidance, Al-Hilal set a record by winning the King’s Cup for the tenth time and reached the knockout stages of the Elite Asian Champions League last season.
Women's and other categories
In the women’s category, Australia’s Holly McNamara, North Korea’s Kim Kyong Yong, and South Korea’s Kim Hye-ri are vying for the award for the best female player in Asia. Meanwhile, South Korean Lee Kang-in seeks to retain the prize for the best Asian professional player outside the continent. He faces challenges from compatriot Hwang In-beom and Japan’s Ayase Ueda. Japanese player Yui Hasegawa secured her third consecutive nomination in the women’s category, which also includes Australians Alana Kennedy and Caitlin Ford.
The coaching awards feature Joseph Montemoro, coach of the Australian women’s national team; Go Kuroda, manager of Japanese club Machida Zelvia; and Sadayoshi Shirai, coach of the Japan U-17 women’s team. In the women’s coaching category, Marzieh Jafari, coach of Iranian club Bam Khatoon, and Park Yun-jung, coach of the South Korea U-20 women’s team, aim to win the prize for the second time.
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