Saudi duo Firas Al-Birakan and Salem Al-Dawsari shortlisted for 2026 AFC Player of the Year award

Firas Al-Birakan and Salem Al-Dawsari are among the three nominees for the 2026 AFC Player of the Year award, with Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand completing the shortlist.

Al-Birakan helped Al Ahli win the AFC Champions League Elite for a second successive year and scored the decisive goal in the final. Al-Dawsari, who previously won the award in 2022 and 2025, played a key role as Al Hilal finished second in the Saudi league without losing a match and won the Saudi King’s Cup for a 10th time.

Beiranvand contributed to Iran’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup and helped Tractor reach the last 16 of the AFC Champions League.

The full shortlist for the AFC Player of the Year award is:

– Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor and Iran) – Firas Al-Birakan (Al Ahli and Saudi Arabia) – Salem Al-Dawsari (Al Hilal and Saudi Arabia)

The AFC has also announced the candidates for its Asian International Player of the Year award, which recognises players from the continent who are playing outside Asia.

Japan forward Ayase Ueda is nominated for his spells with Feyenoord and Lille, while South Korea midfielder Hwang In-beom features after representing Feyenoord Rotterdam and Porto. His compatriot Lee Kang-in, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, is the third nominee.

The nominees for the Asian International Player of the Year award are:

– Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord, Lille and Japan) – Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord Rotterdam, Porto and South Korea) – Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and South Korea)

The 30th AFC Awards ceremony will be held in Thailand for the second time, and for the first time since 2017. The event will take place at the Aksra Theatre in the King Power Complex.

The ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, 19 November, and will be broadcast on the AFC’s YouTube channel and its other digital platforms.

Arab players have dominated the AFC Player of the Year award since 2014. The Asian International Player of the Year prize, meanwhile, has alternated between players from Australia, South Korea and Japan.