Six players from Chelsea Football Club have earned nominations for the 2026 London Football Awards, underscoring the team’s consistent excellence across men’s and women’s competitions amid a season of strong performances. The shortlist, revealed on the club’s official website on Monday, features Moises Caicedo, Estevao Willian, Millie Bright, Wieke Kaptein, Alyssa Thompson, and Keira Walsh, with the winners to be unveiled at a ceremony on March 5 at Exhibition White City.
The London Football Awards, established over a decade ago, honor standout contributions to football in the capital, drawing from clubs, players, and community efforts across various leagues. Chelsea has frequently dominated the event, as noted in the club’s post: “The London Football Awards have been running for over a decade and celebrate the best of football in the capital, with Chelsea regularly among the leading winners.” Last year, Cole Palmer secured two accolades, joined by Sonia Bompastor, Aggie Beever-Jones, and Guro Reiten, highlighting the Blues’ recurring prominence.
In the men’s categories, Ecuadorian midfielder Moises Caicedo stands as a contender for Premier League Player of the Year, aiming to follow in Palmer’s footsteps from the 2025/26 season. Caicedo, who joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion in a record-breaking £115 million transfer in August 2023, has anchored the midfield with defensive solidity and growing attacking flair. His three Premier League goals this campaign mark a personal best, surpassing previous tallies and contributing to Chelsea’s push for top honors. The 24-year-old’s rise reflects Ecuador’s growing footprint in European football, building on his national team’s qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and their quarterfinal run in the 2024 Copa América.
Alongside him, Brazilian teenager Estevao Willian is nominated for Men’s Young Player of the Year in his debut season after arriving from Palmeiras in a £51 million deal. The 18-year-old has netted six goals across all competitions, including a notable strike in a 3-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Barcelona and a decisive late winner against Liverpool in the Premier League. Estevao’s emergence echoes Brazil’s tradition of exporting prodigious talents, reminiscent of Neymar’s early breakthroughs, and adds to Chelsea’s strategy of investing in South American youth since Roman Abramovich’s ownership era began in 2003.
Shifting to the women’s side, England international Keira Walsh is vying for Women’s Super League Player of the Year. The 28-year-old, acquired from Manchester City in 2022 for a then-world record £350,000 fee for a female player, has been instrumental in Chelsea’s unbeaten streak at the season’s outset. She scored the sole goal in a derby triumph over Tottenham Hotspur and played a pivotal role in England’s successful defense of the UEFA Women’s European Championship in the summer of 2025. Walsh’s career trajectory, from her youth days at Blackburn Rovers to starring in Barcelona’s 2023 UEFA Women’s Champions League win before returning to England, embodies the professionalization of women’s football post the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the launch of the fully professional Women’s Super League in 2018.
Chelsea’s nominations for Women’s Young Player of the Year include American forward Alyssa Thompson and Dutch midfielder Wieke Kaptein. Thompson, 21, has adapted swiftly to English football in her maiden season, leading the Blues’ scoring charts in the WSL with six goals. Drafted first overall by Angel City FC in the 2023 NWSL Draft at age 18, she became the youngest player to represent the U.S. Women’s National Team since 2004, drawing comparisons to icons like Mia Hamm amid the U.S.’s dominance in women’s soccer, with four World Cup titles and five Olympic golds. Kaptein, 20, builds on her breakout 2024/25 campaign that earned her a Ballon d’Or nomination, showcasing her versatility after joining from Twente in 2024. Her development aligns with the Netherlands’ rise in women’s football, fueled by their 2017 European Championship victory and 2019 World Cup final appearance.
Rounding out the list, club captain Millie Bright is nominated for the Women’s PFA Player in the Community Champion award, which acknowledges player-driven initiatives throughout 2025. The 32-year-old defender, a Chelsea stalwart since 2014, has led community outreach efforts, reflecting her off-pitch commitment. Bright’s on-field legacy includes captaining England to the 2022 European Championship triumph and the 2023 World Cup final, while her role in Chelsea’s five consecutive WSL titles from 2020 to 2024 cements her status in the club’s history under managers like Emma Hayes.
Chelsea’s footballing heritage provides rich context for these nominations. Founded in 1905 at Stamford Bridge, the club endured early struggles before rising to prominence in the 1950s under Ted Drake, clinching their first league title in 1955. The Abramovich takeover in 2003 transformed Chelsea into a global powerhouse, yielding two UEFA Champions League titles (2012, 2021), multiple Premier League crowns, and parallel success in the women’s team, which evolved from a semi-professional outfit to WSL dominators since their 2005 reformation. The men’s side navigated financial woes and ownership changes, including the 2022 sale to Todd Boehly’s consortium amid sanctions on Abramovich, while the women’s program has championed gender equity, benefiting from post-2012 Olympic investments in UK women’s sport.
This year’s shortlist arrives as Chelsea navigates a competitive landscape. In the Premier League, the team sits among the frontrunners, bolstered by Caicedo and Estevao’s contributions, while the women’s squad pursues another WSL title amid increasing parity from rivals like Manchester City and Arsenal. Related league developments include upcoming EPL fixtures for Arsenal and Manchester City, Luke Shaw praising Michael Carrick’s influence at Manchester United, and Wayne Rooney cautioning Tottenham Hotspur on their relegation fight following a loss to United.
The awards ceremony on March 5 will spotlight these achievements, potentially adding to Chelsea’s trophy cabinet in a non-competitive arena and reinforcing their status as London’s footballing beacon.
