Indian Football Awards 2026 Honour Outstanding Players, Coaches and Teams
FPAI ceremony in Kolkata celebrates achievements across men’s and women’s football
By Suman Munshi | IBG NEWS
Kolkata, August 29, 2026: The Football Players’ Association of India (FPAI) hosted the Indian Football Awards 2026 in Kolkata, bringing together leading players, coaches, football administrators and other members of the Indian football fraternity.
The annual awards recognised outstanding performances and contributions across men’s and women’s football, while also highlighting achievements in coaching, player development, coach education and team competitions.
The ceremony featured the participation of several prominent names associated with Indian football, including FPAI founding president Bhaichung Bhutia, former president Renedy Singh, current president Mehraj Uddin Wadoo, General Secretary Arindam Bhattacharya and Indian football star Sunil Chhetri.
Players Recognised by Their Peers
A key feature of the FPAI Awards is that the recognition comes from within the football community, with players having an important role in selecting the award recipients.
Addressing the gathering, Sunil Chhetri congratulated the winners and spoke about the demanding journey of professional footballers. He underlined the importance of recognising players whose performances, discipline and perseverance help raise the standard of the sport.
Bhaichung Bhutia also recalled the purpose behind the formation of the players’ association and its role in providing footballers with a collective platform. He welcomed the increasing prominence of the awards and the continued development of both men’s and women’s football in the country.
Indian Football Awards 2026 Winners
The major awards presented during the ceremony included:
Young Player of the Year: Sanan Mohammed K
Foreign Player of the Year: Miguel Figueira Damasceno
Indian Player of the Year: Lallianzuala Chhangte
I-League Player of the Year: Phrangki Buam
Indian Women’s Player of the Year: Manisha Kalyan
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Sanfida Nongrum
Coach of the Year: Owen Coyle
Women’s Coach of the Year: Anthony Andrews
Coach Education Award: Savio Medeira
Player Performance & Development Award: Rapid Sports & The Right Weigh
ISL Champions 2025–26 – Men’s Senior Team: East Bengal FC
IWL Champions 2025–26: East Bengal FC Women
Recognition Extends Beyond the Playing Field
The awards also drew attention to the broader ecosystem supporting Indian football.
While individual players remain at the centre of the sport, sustained progress depends on several interconnected areas, including grassroots development, professional coaching, player performance, education, sports science and competitive opportunities for women footballers.
The recognition of coach education and player development alongside conventional playing awards reflects the growing importance of these areas in India’s footballing structure.
The success of East Bengal FC in the men’s competition and East Bengal FC Women in the Indian Women’s League also featured prominently among the team honours.
A Celebration of Indian Football
The Kolkata ceremony brought together different generations of Indian football, creating an opportunity for established stars, emerging players, coaches and administrators to celebrate the achievements of the past season.
The event concluded with members of the football fraternity coming together for a dinner and informal interaction.
The Indian Football Awards 2026 thus served not only as a platform to honour individual excellence but also as a celebration of the wider community working to strengthen Indian football.
By Suman Munshi
Chief Editor | IBG NEWS
