LANDO, LITTLER AND THE LIONESSES LEAD NINE UK NOMINATIONS FOR 2026 LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS AWARDS
- Lando Norris and Luke Littler nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award
- England Women’s Football Team, the McLaren Formula One Team and the European Ryder Cup Team shortlisted for Laureus World Team of the Year
- Rory McIlroy, Leah Williamson and Simon Yates recognised in the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category
- Tom Pidcock nominated for Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year
- Winners to be announced at Cibeles Palace, Madrid, on April 20
The Nominees for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards have been announced today and championship titles, No.1 rankings and remarkable comebacks have earned the UK’s best athletes the chance to receive the sporting honour that every athlete wants to win: The Laureus.
The Nominees include the biggest names in world sport. Among them, Lando Norris, who won his first Formula One Drivers’ Championship, 2025 Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Tom Pidcock, rising darts star Luke Littler and former Track Cycling World Champion Simon Yates. Three inspirational teams – and the individuals that underpinned their collective successes – also feature on the shortlist: England Women’s Football Team captain Leah Williamson; the European Ryder Cup Team’s talisman Rory McIlroy; and the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team which claimed a second successive Constructors’ Championship behind Norris’s success.
Award winners from eight categories will be selected by the ultimate sporting jury: the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy. Each winner will receive the iconic Laureus statuette at a gala event held in Madrid’s Cibeles Palace on April 20.
Lando Norris won seven Grands Prix in 2025 – including statement victories at Monaco and Silverstone – on the way to a final-race showdown with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen, the 2022 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. Norris made the podium to take the title from Verstappen, becoming McLaren’s first champion since Lewis Hamilton.
Norris is nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award and is joined on that shortlist by Luke Littler, who became the youngest‑ever PDC World Darts champion and completed the career ‘Triple Crown’ of World Championship, World Matchplay and Premier League title. The teenager secured the PDC Order of Merit World No.1 ranking by retaining the Grand Slam of Darts, becoming the youngest player in history to achieve the feat at only 18-years-old.
Four incredible athletes join Littler and Norris on the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award shortlist. Désiré Doué scored two of Paris Saint-Germain’s five goals in the final of the UEFA Champions League whilst assisting another; João Fonseca reached the third rounds at the French Open and Wimbledon, whilst debuting in all four Grand Slam main draws; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emulated basketball royalty by winning NBA MVP, Finals MVP and Scoring Champion in the same season; and 12-year-old Yu Zidi won bronze to become the youngest medallist in World Aquatics Championships history.
2025 was a historic year for English football, as the ‘Lionesses’ of the England Women’s Football Team defended their Women’s Euro title of 2022 with a penalty shootout victory over reigning world champions, Spain. Their route to the final was marked by adversity: an opening-day group stage defeat by France; overcoming a two-goal deficit to Sweden in the quarter-final; and a last-minute goal to salvage a semi-final against Italy. Chloe Kelly’s winning penalty in the final gave England their second European crown, becoming only the second team in competition history to retain the title.
The McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team are also nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award and – like the Lionesses – successfully defended their collective crown. With 14 Grand Prix wins in 2025, the Woking-based outfit secured a tenth title with six races remaining.
British stories were at the heart of the European Ryder Cup Team’s first away win in 15 years. A 15-13 victory saw Europe triumph on US soil for the first time since 2012, with strong performances from Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood cementing a dominant opening two days. Tyrrell Hatton secured the outright victory for Europe by tying Collin Morikawa on the final day, with Robert MacIntyre’s half-point further tipping the balance in Europe’s favour. The 2025 title marks Europe’s ninth win from their last 12 appearances this century, with captain Luke Donald becoming only the second team captain to win a Ryder Cup title at home and away.
European Ryder Cup Team Captain Luke Donald said: “Winning a Ryder Cup is special. Winning one away from home is on a different level entirely. Going into New York, we understood exactly what was in front of us. An exceptionally strong US team, playing on home soil, backed by a passionate and vocal crowd. We knew the noise would be loud, the energy intense and the margins small. It was all of that – and more. Those are the moments when leadership truly matters. I was proud of how our experienced players stepped forward and set the tone. Just as proud of the younger guys who embraced the occasion and never flinched. They did not shrink from it – they grew into it.
“When Shane holed that putt to retain the trophy, and Tyrrell secured the half-point to win it outright, there was an overwhelming sense of collective achievement. Not relief – belief. It was the culmination of preparation, trust and a shared purpose. A true team effort in every sense. I was fortunate to be part of the Miracle of Medinah team in 2012, and to receive the Laureus Team of the Year award in 2013 was incredibly special. To be considered for a Laureus award again, after what this group achieved together in New York, is a real honour.”
Historic first triumphs in 2025 for three other teams see them join the Laureus World Team of the Year Award shortlist. The India Women’s Cricket Team won a maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup on home soil; Paris Saint-Germain claimed a first Champions League title as part of a six-trophy season; and the Oklahoma City Thunder recorded a first NBA championship in franchise history.
Rory McIlroy was one of Europe’s Ryder Cup protagonists: his individual achievements also earn him recognition on the shortlist for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award. In 2025, the Northern Irish golfer ended an 11-year wait for a Major championship title since winning The Open Championship in 2014. His final round at The Masters began inauspiciously with a double bogey, but remarkable birdies on the 15th and 17th holes set up a playoff against Justin Rose. McIlroy’s 18th hole victory not only ended his personal drought, but also secured a career Grand Slam: he is only the sixth golfer in history to achieve the feat.
Arsenal and England captain Leah Williamson led club and country to silverware in 2025 – but an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2023 forced her to take an extended absence from football. Returning in January 2024, Williamson rejoined the England camp a month later and, despite having missed the Women’s World Cup, started every game on the road to England’s second-consecutive title. Her performances at club level were equally impressive: Williamson anchored Arsenal to wins against Real Madrid and OL Lyonnes, eventually lifting the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy following a 1-0 victory against holders FC Barcelona.
Simon Yates’ comeback story was a tale of mental resilience. In 2018, Yates surrendered a 38-minute lead in the closing stages of the Giro d’Italia, limping home in 21st as Chris Froome snatched the Maglia Rosa after 13 days. Seven years later, he turned a deficit into victory at the same event, catching Isaac del Toro on that same Colle delle Finestre to win by nearly four minutes.
The British trio’s fellow Nominees include Amanda Anisimova, who reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals just two years on from a mental health break; Egan Bernal, who won Stage 16 of the Vuelta a España following a near-fatal crash in 2022; and Yulimar Rojas who, following Achilles tendon surgery in 2024, won a bronze medal in the Triple Jump at the World Championships.
The 2025 Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year, Tom Pidcock, receives a second-consecutive nomination in this year’s shortlist. An outstanding season saw Pidcock build on his Olympic cycling successes of 2024 by sealing the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and European Mountain Bike Championship titles. On the road, Pidcock was equally successful, reaching a Grand Tour podium for the first time at the Vuelta a España to reinforce his reputation as one of world cycling’s most versatile athletes.
Pidcock is not the only former winner to make the 2026 shortlist: Chloe Kim became the most decorated woman in X Games history in 2025, by securing an eighth gold medal in Superpipe. The pair are joined by four-time Nominee and World Street skateboarding champion Rayssa Leal, WSL World Surfing Champions Molly Picklum and Yago Dora, and Kilian Journet who, on foot and bike alone, summitted all 72 of the USA’s accessible 14,000-foot peaks in the space of only 31 days.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé is nominated for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award, with the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner guiding Les Parisiens to a six-trophy season. Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner was also triumphant in Melbourne: he is joined by his rival Carlos Alcaraz, who won both the US and French Open titles. An undefeated 2025 saw Mondo Duplantis break four world records and claim two world titles, whilst Tadej Pogačar wore the Maillot Jaune for a third time at the 2025 Tour de France. With 11 Grand Prix wins, Marc Marquéz was crowned MotoGP World Champion for a seventh time.
FC Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí collected a record third-consecutive Ballon d’Or in September, after leading the Catalan club to a domestic treble. She is nominated for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award – an Award that she won in 2024 – and is joined by five inspirational champions. Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open to finish the tennis season as World No.1 for a second-consecutive year, whilst Katie Ledecky furthered her legacy as one of world swimming’s greatest-ever athletes by adding two World Aquatics Championships titles and moving her medal count to a career total of 30. Three stars of the World Athletics Championships round out the shortlist: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden claimed a golden hat-trick in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m finals; Faith Kipyegon won a record fourth 1500m gold medal after becoming the first woman to break the 3:49.00 barrier; and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke the championship record in the 400m flat whilst winning the 4x400m gold.
Six Nominees are in contention for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award, after a selection process held by members of the International Paralympic Committee. David Kratochvíl won seven medals at the World Para Swimming Championships, including four golds: he is joined by fellow Para swimmers Gabriel Araújo, who won a hat-trick of golds and broke the 150m individual medley world record; and Simone Barlaam, who won four golds to take his career tally to 23. Catherine Debrunner won five gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships and set a new 1500m T54 championship record, while Kiara Rodríguez broke the championship record in the women’s jong jump T47 alongside winning two additional gold medals. At the inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women’s Championships, Kelsey DiClaudio ended the tournament as MVP and top goal-scorer.
Each year, six Laureus-supported programmes are nominated for the Laureus Sport for Good Award, which recognises exceptional dedication to improving young lives through sport. This year, the shortlist includes: A.S.D Gruppo Sportivo Valanga, a multi‑sport and employability programme combining sports workshops and sports psychology in Turin; Fútbol Más, who promote inclusivity, teamwork and respect through football sessions in Europe and South America; Kings County Tennis League, breaking down economic barriers preventing young people in New York from accessing tennis; MindLeaps, a global programme fusing dance classes with educational support to develop cognitive and life skills; Rugby For Good, a programme based in Hong Kong, China, that champions social and gender equity for children with ADHD; and Transformación Social TRASO, who offer boxing and martial arts classes alongside group therapy sessions for young people in Mexico.
The full list of Nominees is:
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) Tennis – won the French Open and US Open, ending 2025 as the year-end World No.1
Ousmane Dembélé (France) Football – top goalscorer as Paris Saint-Germain won six titles in 2025, and winner of the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA awards
Mondo Duplantis (Sweden) Athletics – won third consecutive outdoor world championship and set four new world records, whilst going undefeated in 2025
Marc Márquez (Spain) Motor Cycling – the 2025 MotoGP World Champion, winning 11 Grand Prix races across 17 starts
Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) Cycling – won a third yellow jersey at the 2025 Tour de France, claiming four stage wins
Jannik Sinner (Italy) Tennis – winner of the Australian Open and Wimbledon, alongside the ATP Tour Finals title and the Paris Masters
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain) Football – claimed a third-consecutive Ballon d’Or after winning the domestic treble with FC Barcelona Femení and reached the Women’s Champions League and European Championship finals
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) Athletics – became only the second woman to win the World Championships Triple Crown – the 100m, 200m and 4x100m
Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) Athletics – won a fourth World Championships gold medal in the 1500m final: the first woman to achieve the feat
Katie Ledecky (USA) Swimming – won two gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships, taking her total World Championship medal count to 30
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) Athletics – broke the World Championships 400m record, whilst winning gold with Team USA in the 4x400m relay
Aryna Sabalenka Tennis – year-end World No.1 for the second-consecutive year, after reaching three Grand Slam finals and winning the US Open
LAUREUS WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR
England Women’s Football Team – defended their European Championship title with a penalty shoot-out victory over reigning world champions, Spain
European Ryder Cup Team Golf – claimed a 16th Ryder Cup title after a 15-13 win: Europe’s first away win since 2012
India Women’s Cricket Team – won a maiden World Cup title, after recording the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history in a semi-final win against Australia
McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team (UK) Motor Racing – won their 10th World Constructors’ Championship with six races to spare
Oklahoma City Thunder (USA) Basketball – equalled the 1996/97 Chicago Bulls team for most NBA season wins en route to winning their first NBA championship
Paris Saint-Germain (France) Football – won a first UEFA Champions League title, defeating Inter Milan 5-0 and a historic six titles across the calendar year
LAUREUS WORLD BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
Désiré Doué (France) Football – scored twice for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final and finished second in voting for the 2025 FIFA Kopa Trophy
João Fonseca (Brazil) Tennis – debuted at all four Grand Slam tournaments, reaching the third round of the French Open and Wimbledon
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) Basketball – became the fourth player in basketball history to win the NBA regular season MVP, Finals MVP and scoring champion in the same season
Luke Littler (UK) Darts – became the youngest-ever PDC World Darts champion, completing the career Triple Crown
Lando Norris (UK) Motor Racing – won a maiden Formula One World Drivers’ Championship title at the final race of the season
Yu Zidi (China) Swimming – the youngest-ever World Aquatics Championships medallist at only 12-years-old
LAUREUS WORLD COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
Amanda Anisimova (USA) Tennis – reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals, two years after stepping away from tennis to prioritise her mental health
Egan Bernal (Colombia) Cycling – won a first Grand Tour stage since a near-fatal crash in 2022
Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf – won a first Masters title, ending an 11-year wait for another Major win, and completed the Career Grand Slam
Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela) Athletics – returned to the global stage at the World Athletics Championship, winning bronze after a two-year absence due to an Achilles injury
Leah Williamson (UK) Football – won the UEFA Women’s Champions League and the European Championships, one year after returning to football following an ACL injury
Simon Yates (UK) Cycling – won the 2025 Giro d’Italia, seven years after losing a 38-minute lead in 2018
LAUREUS WORLD ACTION SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR
Yago Dora (Brazil) Surfing – won a first WSL World Championship title and secured the WSL World No.1 seed
Kilian Jornet (Spain) Ultra Running – summitted all 72 of the 14,000-feet peaks in the USA over the course of just 31 days
Chloe Kim (USA) Snowboarding – became the most decorated woman in X Games history with an eighth gold medal in Superpipe
Rayssa Leal (Brazil) Skateboarding – won Street gold at the SLS Super Crown World Championships, her fourth consecutive title
Molly Picklum (Australia) Surfing – won a first World Surf League championship after defeating 2023 champion, Caroline Marks, in a best of three match
Tom Pidcock (UK) Cycling – won the European XCO title as well as a first Grand Tour podium at the Vuelta a Espana
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY
Gabriel Araújo (Brazil) Para Swimming– won three gold medals at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships whilst breaking the world record in 150m individual medley
Simone Barlaam (Italy) Para Swimming – four golds at the World Aquatics Championships took his career tally to 23
Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) Para Athletics – won five gold medals at the World Para Athletics Championships, setting a championship record in 1500m T54
Kelsey DiClaudio (USA) Para Ice Hockey – finished the World Championship as MVP and leading scorer
David Kratochvíl (Czech Republic) Para Swimming– won four gold, two bronze and a silver medal at the World Para Swimming Championships
Kiara Rodríguez (Ecuador) Para Athletics– won three gold medals and set the Women’s Long Jump T47 championship record at the World Championships
LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD SHORTLIST
A.S.D Gruppo Sportivo Valanga (Italy) Multi-sport x Employability – offers educational opportunities through a combination of sports workshops and sports psychology
Fútbol Mas (Global) Football x Wellbeing – promotes inclusivity, teamwork and respect through football tournaments
Kings County Tennis League (USA) Tennis x Inclusion – breaks down economic barriers preventing local youth from accessing tennis
MindLeaps (Global) Dance x Employability – develops cognitive skills through an innovative programme of dance classes and academic tuition
Rugby For Good (Hong Kong, China) Rugby x Inclusion – champions social and gender equity for children with ADHD
Transformación Social TRASO (Mexico) Martial Arts x Wellbeing – offers twice-weekly boxing and martial arts classes alongside professionally-led group therapy
Laureus World Sports Awards 2026 – Nominee quotes
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Nominee Jannik Sinner, said: “Looking back at 2025, it was a year where I’m incredibly proud of the work we put in. Defending my Australian Open title was a great start, and reaching all four Grand Slam finals, especially winning Wimbledon, was truly special. I’m incredibly grateful for my team and everyone who supports me. And to the media, thank you for the Laureus nomination. It’s an honour to be considered for the most prestigious Award in sport alongside such an amazing group of athletes.”
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Nominee Marc Márquez said: “This is my sixth nomination for the Laureus World Sports Awards – but I still get that same buzz that I felt receiving my first one, 12 years ago! The quality of the Nominees goes to show how special the Awards are, and I’m delighted to be shortlisted amongst such prestigious company. It has been an enjoyable but challenging year for me: I’ve been waiting for a long time to get back to the top, and this season took an incredible effort to win the title again. There’s more work to be done, but it’s a special honour to be shortlisted for this Award alongside incredible athletes from tennis, football, athletics, and cycling.”
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Nominee Aitana Bonmatí, said: “I’d like to thank Laureus and their panel of global sports media for nominating me for this Award for the third time in a row. It’s a pleasure to be recognised, but this nomination wouldn’t be possible without my teammates and all of the staff and coaches for my club and national team. These Awards help us athletes give visibility to our own causes: thanks to Laureus, my work and the achievements of my fellow Nominees can inspire girls and boys around the world, and that’s a huge source of pride for me.”
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Nominee Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, said: “In 2025, I embraced a new challenge, moving from the 400m hurdles to the 400m — a real step of faith. I’m grateful to have run one of the fastest times ever at World Championships and to have shared 4 x 400m gold with my teammates, moments that felt bigger than me. I’m thankful to Laureus for this recognition, and I hope it shows that change, approached with faith and courage, can lead to unexpected blessings.“
Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Nominee Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be one of six nominees for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award. For many years the Laureus Awards has been known as the world’s most prestigious sporting honours, celebrating the greatest athletes in the world each year. I’m also aware of the wider Laureus movement, and inspired by the work of Laureus Sport for Good, using sport as a powerful platform to help young people overcome violence, discrimination, and inequality in their lives. My commitment to being the best sprinter in the world is only matched by my commitment to being the best human being I can be. God has blessed me abundantly and I was raised under the mantra ~ To whom much is given, much is required. Thanks again for recognizing not only my talents but my commitment to youth.”
Laureus World Team of the Year Nominee European Ryder Cup Team captain Luke Donald said: “Winning a Ryder Cup is special. Winning one away from home is on a different level entirely. Going into New York, we understood exactly what was in front of us. An exceptionally strong US team, playing on home soil, backed by a passionate and vocal crowd. We knew the noise would be loud, the energy intense and the margins small. It was all of that – and more. Those are the moments when leadership truly matters. I was proud of how our experienced players stepped forward and set the tone. Just as proud of the younger guys who embraced the occasion and never flinched. They did not shrink from it – they grew into it.
“When Shane holed that putt to retain the trophy, and Tyrrell secured the half-point to win it outright, there was an overwhelming sense of collective achievement. Not relief – belief. It was the culmination of preparation, trust and a shared purpose. A true team effort in every sense. I was fortunate to be part of the Miracle of Medinah team in 2012, and to receive the Laureus Team of the Year award in 2013 was incredibly special. To be considered for a Laureus award again, after what this group achieved together in New York, is a real honour.”
Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Nominee Luke Littler said: ‘’Being nominated for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award is a huge honour – especially being the first darts player to get recognised on this list. It’s been an incredible 12 months and becoming double World Champion and World no.1 is a dream come true but I don’t want to stop there – I want to continue raising the profile of darts globally and bringing new fans into the sport. The nomination is a big moment for me and the sport of darts as a whole.“
Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Nominee Rayssa Leal said: “I am honoured to once again be nominated for this Award after a year that ended with my fourth consecutive SLS Super Crown, which I won in front of another crazy crowd in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This event – and the support of my Brazilian fans – has become so special to me and it’s something I look forward to every year. The Laureus World Sports Awards has become something similar, a great opportunity to reconnect with friends and celebrate our collective and individual achievements as a community. For us athletes, receiving these nominations is a great privilege: not only because it recognises success, but also that it gives us the visibility to inspire the next generation by sharing a platform such as the Laureus World Sports Awards with the greatest athletes in the world.”
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Nominee Gabriel Araújo, said: “I am deeply honored to be nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards and, first of all, I would like to thank my family and my friends, who support me every day and make all of this possible. I am especially grateful to my coach, Fábio, for his dedication, guidance, and for believing in me throughout this journey. Our story is still at the beginning, and we have the ambition to make history. Every time I enter the pool, I am motivated by something greater than medals: I want to show people with disabilities that sport is also for them, that they belong, and that they can achieve great things. I also sincerely thank the International Paralympic Committee, the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, and the Laureus Awards for this nomination and for recognizing Paralympic athletes around the world. This recognition represents progress toward a more inclusive and equal sporting world, and I am proud to be part of this movement.”
Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Nominee Simone Barlaam, said: “After such an impactful event like the Paris 2024 Paralympic Game its never easy to go back to the pool and get lit that fire within you again. Luckily that wasn’t the case for me. I still feel that I have lots to give to my sport. The Singapore 2025 World Para Swimming Championships were an example of this. I was so happy and motivated to compete there. The competition went beyond my expectations and to come home with four gold medals was truly something special. Some of the small margins of victory in those races reflected the intensity of competition in Para Swimming. For example the final of the 400m freestyle was particularly close as I battled with my good friend Jacobo Garrido Braun for the first place (with a margin of just tenths of a second).
“To be nominated for the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award is an incredible honour and privilege. To be on the shortlist alongside another two Para Swimmers (and friends) like Gabriel Araújo and David Kratochvil is a great testament to how far our sport has come.”
