Dubai to host The Best FIFA Football Awards 2026, Infantino announces at World Sports Summit

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that Dubai will host the 2026 edition of the FIFA Best Awards ceremony, revealing the news during his appearance at the World Sports Summit taking place this week in the emirate.

The announcement came during Infantino's presentation titled "The Next 90 Minutes: Charting the On-Pitch Evolution of Football," where FIFA's top official outlined the governing body's strategic vision and future direction for the sport.

About the FIFA Best awards

The annual FIFA Best Awards celebrate excellence across multiple categories in world football, recognizing outstanding male and female athletes, along with top-performing managers and squads from around the globe. Winners are determined through a comprehensive voting process that includes input from supporters, journalists, team captains, and national team managers who evaluate performances throughout the year.

The 2025 FIFA Best Awards were held in Doha, Qatar, where Ousmane Dembele claimed the coveted Best Player award following his immaculate performance for Paris Saint-Germain during their historic treble-winning campaign.

Star-studded summit lineup

A star-studded roster of sporting talent has been assembled for the two-day World Sports Summit event, running Monday and Tuesday at Madinat Jumeirah.

Monday's speakers include tennis legend Novak Djokovic, Brazilian football phenomenon Ronaldo Nazario, Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, and Ukrainian boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Tuesday's lineup features an impressive array of football legends including Brazilian World Cup winner Cafu, Italian maestro Alessandro Del Piero, fellow Italian icon Roberto Baggio, Spanish stalwarts Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta, Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro, and French World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps. MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov and other sporting superstars are also scheduled to appear.

The summit also features prominent women in sports, including Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur, former NBA player Tamika Tremagio, and Danita Johnson, president of D United, among other leading female voices from across the sporting world.

The announcement positions Dubai as a growing hub for major international sporting events, adding the FIFA Best Awards to the emirate's expanding portfolio of prestigious ceremonies and competitions.