Arsenal
FPL Gameweek 1: Early picks, captain call and players to avoid
Haaland leads the Gameweek 1 discussion, with key premium picks and early risks identified.
The new Fantasy Premier League season arrives with the usual opening-week uncertainty. Fresh signings are still settling, promoted sides are adapting to life in the Premier League, some players are returning from a busy offseason, and others may still be carrying the effects of a demanding 2026 World Cup. That makes Gameweek 1 one of the hardest rounds to predict, but it also creates clear opportunities.
Erling Haaland remains the standout premium option at £15.5 million. He has finished as FPL’s top scorer in two of the last four seasons, including last year, and his strong habit of starting quickly only strengthens his appeal. After a productive World Cup with Norway, he looks well placed to begin the campaign in form.
Bruno Fernandes is another high-end option who demands attention after a huge 2025–26 season. The Manchester United captain set a Premier League assist record for a single campaign with 24 fantasy assists, while also leading the league for key passes with 136 and big chances created with 33. Add set pieces and penalties, and his £12 million price looks easier to accept.
Among the mid-price names, João Pedro stands out at £7.5 million after scoring 15 goals and adding nine assists in his first season at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s lack of European football, the arrival of an exciting new manager and six preseason goals all point to another productive year. Morgan Gibbs-White, priced at £8 million, is also firmly in the conversation after finishing as the highest-scoring FPL midfielder last season with 15 goals and 19 goal contributions. Semenyo, meanwhile, enters the campaign on the back of 202 points, five preseason assists and a reduced £8.5 million price.
For the armband, Haaland looks the safest choice. City meet Bournemouth, who have lost Andoni Iraola and Marcos Senesi over the summer, and the striker has scored four times in his last four meetings with them across all competitions.
There are also reasons for caution. Bukayo Saka may need more time after going deep into the 2026 World Cup and continues to be monitored because of an Achilles problem. Enzo Fernández, despite 157 FPL points last season and a £7 million price tag, is less straightforward because of his late return, transfer speculation and uncertainty over his role in midfield.
Arsenal
Ballon d’Or 2026: club-by-club breakdown of the leading nominees
Club-by-club guide to the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees, led by PSG, Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or will spotlight the game’s biggest prizes across the men’s and women’s competitions, with several of Europe’s leading clubs heavily represented on the shortlists.
Paris Saint-Germain headline the men’s field with a remarkable 10 nominations for the Men’s Ballon d’Or, while Barcelona lead overall with 20 nominees across the available categories. Bayern Munich stand alone as the only club to be nominated for both the Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year award. Arsenal, the defending English champions, appear in every men’s category except the Kopa Trophy.
PSG’s list is stacked with Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Vitinha all named for the Men’s Ballon d’Or. Warren Zaïre-Emery is in line for the Kopa Trophy, Matvey Safonov is on the Yashin Trophy list, Luis Enrique is nominated for Men’s Coach of the Year, and PSG are up for Men’s Club of the Year.
Arsenal’s nominations are more concentrated, with Gabriel, Declan Rice and William Saliba all shortlisted for the Men’s Ballon d’Or. Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo are both in the running for the Women’s Ballon d’Or, David Raya is up for the Yashin Trophy, Mikel Arteta is nominated for Men’s Coach of the Year, and Arsenal are in the Club of the Year conversation.
Barcelona’s nominations span both squads, with Pau Cubarsí, Rodri, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal among the men’s names, while their women’s representatives include Esmee Brugts, Cata Coll, Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Mapi Leion, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas. Vicky López and Clara Serrajordi are on the Women’s Kopa Trophy list, Joan García is nominated for the Yashin Trophy, Pere Romeu is in the Coach of the Year race, and Barcelona are favourites for Women’s Club of the Year.
Bayern’s strongest men’s nominees are Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano, while Klara Bühl, Pernille Harder and Momoko Tanikawa feature on the women’s side. Lennart Karl is on the Kopa Trophy shortlist and Vincent Kompany is up for Men’s Coach of the Year.
Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City also have notable representation across the awards, underlining how widely the nominations are spread among Europe’s leading clubs.
Arsenal
Ballon d’Or 2026 shortlists revealed across men’s, women’s and Kopa awards
Ballon d’Or 2026 shortlists are out, with Messi, Rodri, Yamal and top women’s contenders named.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlists have been published, with both the men’s and women’s prizes now taking shape after the latest nominations were confirmed.
Lionel Messi is among the leading names on the men’s list as he targets a ninth Ballon d’Or, while 2024 winner Rodri also returns to contention after a Golden Ball-winning summer at the World Cup with Spain. The 30-player men’s shortlist features a heavy concentration of familiar elite names, including Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal.
Paris Saint-Germain are particularly well represented, with 10 nominees among the men’s field. Ousmane Dembélé is aiming to defend the prize, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha and Lionel Messi all appear on the list. Real Madrid also have a strong presence, with Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Bellingham and Marc Cucurella included.
The women’s shortlist is equally competitive, although injuries have ruled Aitana Bonmatí out of a chance to claim a fourth straight Ballon d’Or Féminin. That absence leaves the door open for a first-time winner, or just the fifth different player ever to take the prize. Barcelona remain prominent through Ewa Pajor, Patri Guijarro and Caroline Graham Hansen, while Alexia Putellas is also in the frame after her summer move to London City Lionesses.
Elsewhere, the Kopa Trophy races include defending men’s winner Lamine Yamal and 2025 women’s winner Vicky López. The goalkeeper awards feature David Raya, Thibaut Courtois and Joan García among the men, with Hannah Hampton, Ann-Katrin Berger and Cata Coll back in the women’s contest.
The coach and club categories are similarly packed. PSG, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Flamengo and Bodø/Glimt are among the men’s club nominees, while Barcelona lead the women’s club conversation alongside Bayern Munich, Man City, OL Lyonnes and Club América.
Al Ahli
Yashin Trophy 2026 shortlists reveal established names and fresh contenders
The 2026 Yashin Trophy shortlists are out, with new contenders joining familiar goalkeeping names.
The 2026 Yashin Trophy race has taken shape, with 10 men and five women named on the latest shortlists for football’s top goalkeeping honour.
There will be a new men’s winner this year after Gianluigi Donnarumma, who led the rankings in 2025, was not included among the nominees. That opens the door for a wide-open contest featuring several familiar figures and a few first-time entrants.
Thibaut Courtois is again in the mix, underlining the standing he has built over several years. Barcelona’s Joan García has also earned a first nomination after a season that put him firmly among the leading candidates. Arsenal’s David Raya, last season’s Premier League Golden Glove winner, is on the list too, while Emiliano Martínez returns to the spotlight after being nominated for his work with former employers Aston Villa and later joining Chelsea this summer.
The men’s shortlist also includes Matvey Safonov and Gregor Kobel, plus the Saudi Arabia-based pair of Yassine Bounou and Édouard Mendy. Unai Simón is recognised after helping Spain to World Cup glory, while Vozinha completes the lineup after another notable campaign at 40 years old.
Courtois and Martínez have both lifted the prize before, with Martínez a two-time winner in 2023 and 2024.
On the women’s side, Hannah Hampton is back after becoming the first winner of the Women’s Yashin Trophy last year. She is joined by Ann-Katrin Berger and Cata Coll, who finished second and third in the inaugural edition. Manchester City’s Ayaka Yamashita and Kansas City Current’s Lorena complete the women’s shortlist.
The full lists confirm a competition that mixes proven pedigree with new challengers, and the final outcome now depends on which goalkeeper can turn nomination into the highest honour.
