The nominees for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award include Victor Osimhen, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland, among others.

Manchester City dominates the list with six of their players, including Ederson in the goalkeepers’ category.

Pep Guardiola and Ange Postecoglou are among the nominees for the men’s coach award.

In addition to the men’s awards, there are also nominations for women’s awards.

England’s Lionesses, who reached the final of the Women’s World Cup, have several players nominated, including Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Lauren James, Keira Walsh, and Mary Earps.

Sarina Wiegman and Emma Hayes are nominated for the women’s coach award.

The awards will be based on performances from December 19, 2022, to August 2023 for the men’s categories and from August 1, 2022, to August 20, 2023, for the women’s categories.

The winners will be decided by an international jury of coaches, captains, journalists, and fans.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player Nominees

Julián Álvarez (Argentina); Marcelo Brozović (Croatia); Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium); İlkay Gündoğan (Germany); Erling Haaland (Norway); Rodri (Spain); Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia); Kylian Mbappé (France); Lionel Messi (Argentina); Victor Osimhen (Nigeria); Declan Rice (England); Bernardo Silva (Portugal).

The Best FIFA Women’s Player Nominees

Aitana Bonmatí (Spain); Linda Caicedo (Colombia); Rachel Daly (England); Kadidiatou Diani (France); Caitlin Foord (Australia); Mary Fowler (Australia); Alex Greenwood (England); Jennifer Hermoso (Spain); Lindsey Horan (USA); Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden); Lauren James (England); Sam Kerr (Australia); Mapi León (Spain); Hinata Miyazawa (Japan); Salma Paralluelo (Spain); Keira Walsh (England).

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach Nominees

Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden): Jonatan Giráldez (Spain); Tony Gustavsson (Sweden); Emma Hayes (England); Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands).

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach Nominees

Pep Guardiola (Spain); Simone Inzaghi (Italy); Ange Postecoglou (Australia); Luciano Spalletti (Italy); Xavi (Spain).

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Nominees

Mackenzie Arnold (Australia); Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany); Catalina Coll (Spain); Mary Earps (England); Christiane Endler (Chile); Zećira Mušović (Sweden); Sandra Paños García-Villamil (Spain).

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Nominees

Yassine Bounou (Morocco); Thibaut Courtois (Belgium); Ederson (Brazil); André Onana (Cameroon); Marc-André ter Stegen (Germany).

The FIFA Fan Award Nominees

Club Atlético Colón de Santa Fe fan (Argentina); Fran Hurndall (England); Miguel Ángel, Millonarios fan (Colombia).

FIFA has announced that the United States will host the first expanded Club World Cup in 2025.

The tournament, featuring 32 teams, was confirmed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the eve of the 2022 World Cup final.

Twelve European clubs, including the winners of the UEFA Champions League from 2021 to 2024 (such as Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester City), have already qualified.

The remaining European clubs will be determined based on a ranking system over the same four-year period.

The other 20 slots will be filled by clubs from different regions: six from South America (including Copa Libertadores winners between 2021 and 2024), four from the North, Central America, and Caribbean confederation (likely the Concacaf & CAF Champions League winners), four from Africa and Asia (based on respective Champions League winners), one from Oceania (the highest-ranked club from its 2021-24 Champions League winners), and one from the host country.

Infantino described the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 as the pinnacle of elite professional men’s club football, and with the necessary infrastructure and significant local interest, the United States was chosen as the ideal host for this global tournament.

The United States is also set to host the 2024 Copa América and co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.

The current version of the Club World Cup, featuring seven teams, will be discontinued after the upcoming tournament in Saudi Arabia in December.

There are reports suggesting that Saudi Arabia is contemplating withdrawing its bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

Despite their aspirations to become a footballing powerhouse and their investments in the Saudi Pro League, the country is considering putting international competition on hold for now.

Initially, Saudi Arabia led a joint bid with Egypt and Greece, but Egypt withdrew from the bid in April, leaving Saudi Arabia and Greece.

Now, there are internal discussions within the Saudi leadership about abandoning the bid altogether. The proposed bid involved Saudi Arabia hosting the majority of the matches, with Greece receiving financial support.

The decision to step back is based on the belief that it is Europe’s turn to host the World Cup, following recent tournaments in the Middle East and North America.

There are other bids for the 2030 tournament, including joint bids from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile, as well as Spain, Portugal, Ukraine, and Morocco.

It is worth noting that bids from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland have already been abandoned, with the Republic of Ireland now set to host UEFA Euro 2028.