Football’s biggest clubs, brands and industry leaders are set to compete for the sport’s highest business honours after the official shortlist for the 2026 Global Football Industry Awards was unveiled today.
Returning to London on Thursday 5 November, the Global Football Industry Awards will celebrate the individuals, organisations and brands driving football forward across every corner of the game.
Hosted by football legends Jamie Carragher and Peter Crouch, alongside renowned broadcaster Hayley McQueen, the awards will bring together more than 500 senior executives, club leaders, governing bodies, broadcasters, brands and innovators for one of the football industry’s biggest nights of the year.
Recognising excellence across commercial partnerships, media, technology, leadership, sustainability, fan engagement, legal services, marketing, community impact and innovation, the Global Football Industry Awards shine a spotlight on the people and organisations whose work powers the world’s most popular sport.
This year’s shortlist reflects the growing global influence of football’s business landscape, featuring some of the most recognised names from across the industry.
Among the clubs shortlisted are Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Juventus, Liverpool FC, Chelsea FC, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Brentford FC, Charlton Athletic, Wrexham AFC, Paris Saint-Germain, Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Hibernian FC and Forest Green Rovers, recognised across categories including fan engagement, sustainability, community impact, social media, marketing and innovation.
The shortlist also includes some of the world’s leading football organisations, including FIFA, UEFA, The Premier League, The Football Association, Professional Footballers’ Association, European Club Association, FIFPRO, City Football Group, The Football Foundation and the Scottish Women’s Premier League.
Global brands continue to demonstrate their commitment to football, with shortlisted nominees including Adidas, Google Pixel, Visa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Spotify, EA SPORTS, Panini, Revolut, Guinness, McDonald’s, British Gas, Amazon, LEGO, Burberry, AXA, Skechers, WHOOP, Airbnb, Monzo, Xero, Indeed, Carabao, Octopus Energy and GoCardless.
Football’s media and broadcast sector is equally well represented, with Sky Sports, DAZN, TNT Sports, CBS Sports Golazo, SPORTbible, TikTok, Whisper Group, Gravity Media and ADI.TV recognised for their outstanding contribution to how football is produced, consumed and experienced by fans around the world.
The awards also celebrate the organisations transforming football through innovation and technology. Companies including Hudl, SkillCorner, Stats Perform, WSC Sports, Orreco, TransferRoom, LiveScore and Stadia Sports have all been shortlisted for pioneering new approaches that continue to shape the future of the game.
Individual honours will recognise some of football’s most influential leaders, with nominees including Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group, Jill Ellis, FIFA’s Chief Football Officer, Maheta Molango, Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Andrew Georgiou, President and Managing Director of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, Michele Kang, founder of Kynisca Sports International, Tony Bloom MBE, owner of Brighton & Hove Albion, and Debbie Hewitt MBE, Chair of The FA.
This year’s awards also place a significant focus on football’s wider impact, recognising organisations leading the way in sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion, grassroots development and community engagement. Nominees include the Chelsea Foundation, LFC Foundation, Everton in the Community, FC Barcelona Foundation, Real Madrid Foundation, Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation, Celtic FC Foundation and Wrexham AFC Foundation, alongside brands and organisations creating meaningful social impact through football.
Jamie Carragher, who will host the awards alongside Peter Crouch and Hayley McQueen, said: “Football is so much more than what happens on the pitch. Every week there are thousands of people work behind the scenes to make the game stronger, smarter and more successful – from clubs and governing bodies to brands, broadcasters, charities and innovators. The Global Football Industry Awards recognise those people and celebrate the incredible work they do to move football forward. Looking at this year’s shortlist, it’s clear the industry has never been in a stronger position, and I’m looking forward to celebrating everyone’s achievements in London this November.”
The 2026 ceremony is expected to welcome leaders from every area of the football industry, cementing the Global Football Industry Awards as one of the sport’s premier celebrations of business excellence and innovation.
The winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony in London on Thursday 5 November 2026.