Riyadh: Six of the continent’s finest players will hope to walk away with the most prestigious accolade of the night on Thursday, 16th October, at the highly-anticipated AFC Awards Riyadh 2025 presented by NEOM. Malaysia’s Arif Aiman Hanapi, Qatar’s Akram Afif, and Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari are vying for the AFC Player of the Year. Australia’s Holly McNamara, China’s Wang Shuang, and Japan’s Hana Takahashi will hope to claim the AFC Women’s Player of the Year prize.
According to Emirates News Agency, each of the contenders has showcased their top-class abilities for both club and country between June 2024 and July 2025. Their consistent performances have earned them nominations for the ultimate honour at the 29th edition of the AFC Awards, highlighting the exceptional talent present among Asian players on the global stage.