FIFA, the international governing body of football, has recently announced the finalists for The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Player, and the FIFA Puskas Awards for the 2023 edition of The Best FIFA Football Awards.
The ceremony is set to be held on Monday, January 15, 2024, in London, where the winners of each award will be revealed.
For The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, which recognises the most outstanding performers in the men’s game from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023, the three finalists are Erling Haaland from Norway and Manchester City FC, Kylian Mbappe from France and Paris Saint-Germain, and Lionel Messi from Argentina, who currently plays for Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami.
The award initially had 12 players nominated for it, selected by a panel of experts.
From this shortlist, the three finalists were chosen by an international jury comprising men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists, and fans from all over the world registered on FIFA.com.
The Best FIFA Women’s Player Award recognises outstanding performers in women’s football between August 1, 2022, to August 20, 2023, the date of the FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
The three finalists for this award are Aitana Bonmati from Spain and FC Barcelona, Linda Caicedo from Colombia, who plays for Deportivo Cali Femenino and Real Madrid CF, and Jennifer Hermoso from Spain and CF Pachuca Femenil.
The award initially had 16 players nominated for it, chosen by a panel of experts.
From this shortlist, the three finalists were selected by an international jury comprising women’s national team coaches, women’s national team captains, football journalists, and fans who voted on FIFA’s official website.
FIFA has also announced the three finalists for the FIFA Puskás Award, named after legendary Hungarian striker Ferenc Puskás.
The award recognises the best goal of the year, and this year’s finalists include Julio Enciso from Paraguay and Brighton & Hove Albion FC, Guilherme Madruga from Brazil and Botafogo Futebol Clube, and Nuno Santos from Portugal and Sporting CP.
The award initially had 11 goals nominated for it, from which the three finalists were selected by fans who voted on FIFA’s official website and expert panellists.
The voting procedure for each award is supervised by independent observers and detailed in the Rules of Allocation.
For The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award and The Best FIFA Women’s Player Award, each voter made their first, second, and third choices for the prize.
Points were given to nominees based on where they were placed (five points for first, three for second, and one for third).
Nominated national team captains could not vote for themselves.
Selections from the four voting groups – coaches, captains, journalists, and fans – each counted for 25% of the total vote, regardless of the number of voters from each group.
The individual with the most points will receive the award. If finalists are tied on points, the award will be given to the individual who has received the most first-choice selections.
For the FIFA Puskás Award, each voter made their first, second, and third choices for the prize.
Points were given to nominees based on where they were placed (five points for first, three for second, and one for third).
Selections from the two voting groups – fans and expert panellists – each counted for 50% of the total vote, regardless of the number of voters from each group.
The individual with the most points will receive the award.
If finalists are tied on points, the award will be given to the individual who has received the most first-choice selections.
Results of the voting procedure for each award will be published in full on FIFA.com following the awards ceremony on January 15, 2024.
