AFC Awards Bangkok 2026:
Beiranvand shortlisted for Player of the Year as Iran receives five nominations
Iranian international goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand is among the three finalists for the Player of the Year award after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) unveiled its list of nominees for the upcoming AFC Awards on Friday.
The 30th edition of the annual ceremony will be held at Bangkok’s Aksra Theatre King Power on November 19.
Hoping to become the fifth Iranian footballer to win the prestigious award, following Khodadad Azizi (1996), Ali Daei (1999), Mahdi Mahdavikia (2003), and Ali Karimi (2004), the Tractor goalkeeper faces competition from Saudi international duo Feras Al Brikan and Salem Al Dawsari.
“A stellar showing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 underlined Alireza Beiranvand’s world-class abilities as the Islamic Republic of Iran narrowly missed out on the Round of 32 on goal difference. His nation’s most-capped custodian, he also enjoyed a solid club campaign by helping Tractor FC to the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 Round of 16. This is the 34-year-old’s second nomination, after his first in 2019,” the AFC website wrote of the Iranian.
Beiranvand was one of Iran’s standout performers at June’s global showpiece in the United States, with the highlight of his campaign coming in a man-of-the-match display during the goalless draw against Belgium.
Beiranvand has also made an impressive start to the domestic season, keeping six clean sheets in eight league appearances for Tractor and conceding just twice.
Al Brikan, meanwhile, earned his maiden nomination after a memorable campaign that saw him score the winner in the AFC Champions League Elite. The 26-year-old striker also scored twice for Saudi Arabia during its World Cup qualifying campaign.
Nominated for the third time in four editions, reigning AFC Player of the Year Al Dawsari increased his World Cup appearances to nine over the summer. He also captained Al Hilal to an unbeaten 2025/26 league campaign and a record-extending 10th King’s Cup title, as well as a place in the AFC Champions League Elite knockout stage.
Jafari, futsal duo nominated
Marzieh Jafari, who made history last year by becoming the first Iranian to win the Women’s Coach of the Year award, has again been shortlisted for the prize. She faces stiff competition from Ma Xiaoxu, head coach of China’s U17 women’s team, and Park Youn-jeong, coach of South Korea’s U20 side.
Jafari was in charge of the Iranian national team at January’s Women’s Asian Cup, where her team’s politically charged campaign in Australia ended in a group-stage exit.
She then led Bam Khatoon to the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage after finishing top of its preliminary group in August.
Meanwhile, Iran will look to claim a fourth successive AFC Futsal Player of the Year award, with international duo Hossein Tayyebi and 2023 winner Saied Ahmadabbasi among the nominees. The pair scored nine goals between them to help Iran secure a record-extending 14th Asian Cup title in January.
The Iranian Football Federation was also shortlisted alongside Football Australia and the Japan Football Association for the AFC President’s Recognition Award for Grassroots Football (Gold).