THE BEST FIFA Football Awards for 2022 will be held on February 27 next year, the world governing body has confirmed.
The awards ‘honour the outstanding members of the world’s most popular sport’, according to FIFA.
National team head coaches and captains as well as journalists will vote to decide the winners.
“The Best FIFA Football Awards reward the standout candidates in each field, regardless of championship or nationality, for their respective achievements during the period between 8 August, 2021 and 18 December, 2022 – the date, of course, of the World Cup final,” FIFA said.
“They not only represent the game’s highest honour for coaches and footballers, but are a celebration in which football fans are recognised.”
The awards that will be given out include The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach and The Best FIFA Men’s Coach.
The other prizes up for grabs are The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper, FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World XI, FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World XI, FIFA Fair Play Award
FIFA Puskás Award (recognised as the best goal of the year) and FIFA Fan Award.
Alexia Putellas and Robert Lewandowski were honoured as the outstanding performers in women’s and men’s football respectively last year, with the Poland striker picking up The Best FIFA Men’s Player for the second year in succession.
Emma Hayes and Thomas Tuchel, the then Chelsea duo, were voted The Best FIFA Women’s Coach and The Best FIFA Men’s Coach respectively, while Edouard Mendy completed a hat-trick for the London club by being named The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper.
Christiane Endler was named The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
