Who are the favorite players to win FIFA World Cup 2026 awards? | | World Cup 2026

As the FIFA World Cup draws to a close, two countries are competing to lift the prestigious golden champions trophy, but several other awards for players and teams are also up for grabs.

Individual brilliance, iconic moments, and team control on the pitch are what determine the final tournament honors that FIFA has awarded at the finals.

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The most advanced teams and their players are the frontrunners for the prize, but some are selected before the finals.

Football giants Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are among the biggest players expected to leave with one of the winners, which include:

🏆Golden Shoe
🏆Golden Ball
🏆Golden Glove
🏆Young Player
🏆Fair Play
🏆Goal of the Tournament

What is the FIFA Golden Boot award and how is it judged?

The FIFA Golden Boot is awarded to the player with the most goals at the end of the tournament.

France’s Mbappe is currently in charge scoring eight goals in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup.

If two players are tied on the same score at the end of the tournament, then the player with the most assists will win the prize.

If the players are unable to split the two players, then the Golden Boot is awarded to the player who has achieved their goals and assists in the fewest minutes.

Which players are favorites to win the 2026 Golden Boot?

Messi and Mbappe are leading the race for the coveted award as both captains have eight goals and three assists each in the competition so far.

The top scorers so far are:

1. Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 3 assists
3. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals, 1 assist each
4. Ousmane Dembele (France) – 6 goals, 2 assists
5. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 5 goals, 1 assist

What is the Ballon d’Or award and who are the favorites to win it?

Previous winner: Lionel Messi, Argentina

The Ballon d’Or celebrates individual excellence and is awarded to the best player in the competition. The shortlist of candidates is selected by FIFA’s technical team and voted on by the official TV channels that broadcast the competition. The vote winners are awarded the Silver Ball and the Bronze Ball, respectively.

First introduced in 1978, the award is usually given to players whose teams have not won the competition, including Zinedine Zidane (2006), Messi (2014, 2022), and Luka Modric (2018), as voting ends before the finals begin. Oliver Kahn is the only winner of this award, in 2002.

Messi is the only player to have won the award twice.

The 39-year-old leads the list of contenders this year, alongside Mbappe and teammate Michael Olise.

Other contenders include England captain Kane and star player Bellingham, Norwegian star Erling Haaland, and Cape Verdean midfielder Vozinha.

What is the Golden Glove award and who can win it?

Previous winner: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)

The award is given to the best scorer in the competition, based on strength, saves, and number of clean sheets.

It was introduced in 1994 and was known until 2010 as the Lev Yashin award. Four of the past five winners have come from former champions.

This year’s tournament has seen goalkeepers focus on their smart saves, notably Cape Verde’s Vozinha, who became an overnight sensation on social media and is reportedly being considered by Inter Miami.

Other successful players came from Orlando Gill (Uruguay), Diogo Costa (Portugal), Gregor Kobel (Switzerland), Yassine Bounou (Morocco), and Mostafa Shobeir (Egypt).

Who are the favorites to win the Young Player award?

First introduced in 2006, this award “celebrates an outstanding young player whose performances, skills, and results leave a lasting impression”, for a player under the age of 21, according to FIFA.

“More than recognizing success, this award reflects the talent, ambition, and potential that continues to drive football forward,” the world governing body says.

The 2022 award went to Enzo Fernandez, who was part of Argentina’s winning streak.

Spanish pair Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi are at the top of the list this year, as they go to the finals as part of the European champions.

Other contenders include Gilberto Mora of Mexico, who was the youngest player in the tournament, the youngest player to represent Mexico in the tournament, and the youngest to start since Pele in 1958, when he was selected in the first group of 16 against Ecuador in the round of 16.

France’s Desire Doue, who has been key to her team’s success, is in contention, along with fellow semifinalist Nico O’Reilly of England.

Moroccan player Ayyoub Bouaddi they also turned heads at this World Cup, although incredible talent was already known in France’s youth ranks. He recently became the youngest player to record 50 games in France’s top league – Ligue 1.

What is the FIFA Fair Play award and which team will win it?

The Fair Play Award is given to the team with the best performance at the World Cup. It was introduced in 1970, and only teams that go beyond the initial group stage and reach the round of 32 (or the round of 16 in the old formats) are considered.

Brazil has won a record four times, followed by England and Spain, three times each.

Qatar World Cup 2022 saw England walk away with the prize.

The 2026 edition could see another European team win with Spain, France, and Norway on the way.

Which player will win the World Cup Goal of the Tournament award?

While the overall Goal of the Tournament award is chosen from the quarterfinals and semifinals, each previous tournament has its own winner, who is chosen at the end of the stage. The future of this award is in the hands of the general public as they watch the moments nominated in each category and vote.

The 2022 winner was Brazil’s Richarlison for his incredible scissor-kick goal against Serbia.

The goal of the tournament in the group stage went to Eldor Shomurodov as he gave Uzbekistan their second goal of the World Cup before the hosts were knocked out.

The round-of-32 award went to Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral, who surprised Argentina with a late strike against the world champions before winning.

Norway international Erling Haaland had the best goal in the round of 16, as his late strike against five-time champions Brazil sent his side into their first quarter-final.

The final goal of the Champion’s Award will be chosen from the six from the quarterfinals and semifinals.

The award will be decided before the finale, as voting ends on Saturday, June 18, at 8am Eastern Time (12:00 GMT).

The contestants are:

• Kylian Mbappe of France vs Morocco (quarterfinals)
• Andreas Schjelderup of Norway vs England (quarter final)
• Jude Bellingham of England vs Norway (quarter final)
• Julian Alvarez of Argentina vs Switzerland (quarter final)
• Pedro Porro of Spain vs France (semifinals)
• Enzo Fernandez of Argentina vs England (semifinals)