Who won the 2026 Premier League Player of the Season and PFA Player of the Year? From Declan Rice’s Arsenal masterclass to Bruno Fernandes’ record-breaking assists, explore every nominee, key stats, and the full story behind this season’s individual awards.
Premier League Player of the Season 2026, PFA Player of the Year 2026
Declan Rice Arsenal, Bruno Fernandes assists record, EA Sports POTS 2026, FWA Footballer of the Year 2026, Erling Haaland Golden Boot 2026, Premier League individual awards 2025-26, Arsenal Premier League title 2026, best Premier League players 2026
Introduction
The 2025/26 Premier League campaign will be remembered as one of the most competitive seasons in years — both in the title race and in the battle for individual honours. Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for a Premier League title, Manchester United defied early-season chaos to claim Champions League football under Michael Carrick, and Erling Haaland once again redefined the boundaries of what a striker can achieve in a single season.
With no single player running away with the debate the way Mohamed Salah did in 2024/25, this season’s individual awards generated some of the most passionate arguments among pundits, fans, and former players that the Premier League has seen in years. Here is the full breakdown of who won what, who came close, and why the debate mattered.
EA Sports Premier League Player of the Season 2026: Declan Rice
The eight nominees for the 2025/26 EA Sports Premier League Player of the Season were announced on 14 May 2026, with the winner revealed on 23 May. The shortlist represented arguably the widest spread of clubs and positions ever seen for this award.
The eight nominees were:
- Declan Rice (Arsenal) ✅ WINNER
- Gabriel (Arsenal)
- David Raya (Arsenal)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
- Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City)
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
- Igor Thiago (Brentford)
- Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
Declan Rice emerged as the winner. The Arsenal and England midfielder was the engine behind the Gunners’ first Premier League title in 22 years, operating as a box-to-box force who defined Arsenal’s rhythm in both defensive and attacking phases across all competitions.
Declan Rice’s 2025/26 season stats:
- Appearances: 40
- Goals: 4
- Assists: 9
- Premier League champion: Yes
Rice had earlier won the Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards, signalling the widespread consensus building around his claim. His ability to read the game, control tempo under Mikel Arteta’s intense press, and contribute at both ends of the pitch made him the natural choice when public votes were combined with the expert panel’s verdict.
The trend of POTS winners playing for the champions held firm — the last five winners had all come from the title-winning side, and 2025/26 was no different.
“Declan is constantly adding things to his game, constantly adding things to his role in the team. I don’t see where he can stop.” — Mikel Arteta
The Challengers: Why the Debate Was So Tight
No season is complete without understanding the full field. Several players mounted compelling cases that made Rice’s win feel earned rather than inevitable.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Fernandes was the most statistically dominant creative player in the league. His 20 Premier League assists equalled the all-time seasonal record jointly held by Thierry Henry (2002/03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019/20). In 33 league appearances he scored 8 goals, created 124 chances — the most of any player in the division — and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award. His EA Sports March Player of the Month award equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of six such accolades. He was the bookmakers’ favourite for the PFA prize.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Haaland finished the season with 26 Premier League goals in 35 appearances and 8 assists, on course for a third Golden Boot in four seasons. His shot conversion rate remained above 20% for a fourth consecutive year. His all-competitions total reached 38 goals by the end of the campaign — numbers that had many pundits insisting he was the strongest PFA candidate. Alan Shearer noted Haaland’s case was built purely on output rather than reputation.
Gabriel (Arsenal)
Dominant at the heart of Arsenal’s defence across 30 appearances, keeping 16 clean sheets and contributing 3 goals and 4 assists — remarkable numbers for a centre-back in a title-winning campaign.
Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City)
Semenyo scored 16 goals across Bournemouth and Manchester City after his mid-season switch to the Etihad. He lit up the south coast early in the season before Pep Guardiola’s side came calling.
Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
Hit a career-high 13 goals in 35 appearances for Nottingham Forest. His first-ever Premier League hat-trick came this season, and only five players across the division accumulated more non-penalty goal involvements.
David Raya (Arsenal)
Continued to underpin Arsenal’s defensive record with elite shot-stopping and sweeping, one of just two goalkeepers ever to be nominated for the POTS award.
PFA Player of the Year 2026: Bruno Fernandes
Before the Premier League’s own award was settled, the Football Writers’ Association — one of football’s most prestigious voter bodies — cast their verdict. Bruno Fernandes was named FWA Footballer of the Year for the 2025/26 season.
The award recognised a campaign that kept Manchester United relevant through a chaotic year that included a mid-season managerial change. Fernandes scored 8 Premier League goals and provided 20 assists in 34 appearances, equalling one of football’s longest-standing creative records. Under Michael Carrick, he spearheaded United’s push to third place and Champions League qualification with three games to spare.
Former United right-back Danny Simpson summed up the mood among many in the game: “PFA Player of the Year next.”
PFA Players’ Player of the Year 2026: Verdict Still to Come
Unlike the EA Sports and FWA awards, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year — voted for entirely by professional footballers — follows a different timetable. The award for 2025/26 is expected to be announced at the PFA’s annual ceremony in August 2026.
As of the end of the season, the frontrunners are:
- Bruno Fernandes — Prediction markets place him as narrow favourite at around 66% implied probability. His record-equalling assist tally and consistent creativity throughout a difficult season resonate strongly with fellow professionals.
- Declan Rice — Title-winner and POTS champion. The last five POTS winners have also tended to be in strong contention for the PFA prize.
- Erling Haaland — 26 Premier League goals is almost impossible for peers to overlook when casting votes. His all-competitions tally of 38 goals makes him a wildcard candidate.
The 2024/25 PFA award went to Mohamed Salah (his third, a record), so professional voters are no strangers to rewarding historic individual campaigns.
Historical Context
The last five Premier League Player of the Season winners all played for the eventual champions. Rice continues that streak for Arsenal, joining Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, 2024/25), Phil Foden (Manchester City, 2023/24), Erling Haaland (Manchester City, 2022/23), and Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, 2021/22).
Fernandes, meanwhile, has now won the FWA award and equalled the Premier League assist record, joining Henry and De Bruyne in elite creative company. Should he win the PFA award, it would be the first time a Manchester United player had claimed that prize since Cristiano Ronaldo’s back-to-back wins in 2006/07 and 2007/08.
No United player has won the official Premier League Player of the Season award since Nemanja Vidic in 2010/11 — Fernandes came close, but the title winner prevailed.
Final Verdict
The 2025/26 Premier League season produced no obvious runaway winner — and that is precisely what made it so compelling.
Declan Rice winning the EA Sports Player of the Season is a fair reflection of what winning a championship requires: sustained excellence across every department, week after week, in a team that never stopped demanding everything from its best player.
Bruno Fernandes winning the FWA award reflects a different but equally valid truth — that individual brilliance, especially when it drags a club through adversity, deserves recognition regardless of the trophy cabinet. His record-equalling assist tally is the kind of statistic that echoes through football history.
When the PFA ceremony arrives in August, the result will settle the final debate of a remarkable season. Whichever way it lands, 2025/26 will be remembered as a vintage year for Premier League midfielders — and for the beautiful, fractious argument they produced.
Disclaimer
This content is for informational and editorial purposes only and does not constitute an official announcement by the Premier League, EA Sports, the PFA, or the FWA.
