The full list of eleven players making the 2026 FIFPRO Women’s World XI has been released, with England and Spain nationals dominating the line-up.
According to a post released by the award body via its X handle on Monday, FIFPRO noted that the list was chosen by 6,511 professional women’s footballers worldwide.
The FIFPRO World XI is unique among major individual football awards because it is voted for exclusively by professional players, who select the team based on the performances of their peers.
In goal is Chelsea and England’s Hannah Hampton.
The defence line featured two English and Spanish players each, with Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood, Mapi Leon and Irene Paredes making the cut.
The midfield features a three-man setup, with Barcelona duo and three-time Ballon d’Or winners — Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, alongside Ella Toone.
Leading the attack line is Zambian player and the only African on the list, Barbra Banda. She was joined by Claudia Pina and
Alessia Russo.
Banda has now earned three consecutive FIFPRO Women’s World XI selections, becoming the first African woman to achieve this feat. She remains the most-selected African woman in the team’s history.
See the full list of the 2026 FIFPRO Women’s World XI
Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England)
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Defenders
Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England)
Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England)
Mapi Leon (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain)
Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain)
Midfielders
Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)
Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain) BALLON
Ella Toone (Manchester United, England)
Forwards
Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride, Zambia)
Claudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain)
Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England)
How did the voting work?
According to information obtained from its website, “professional footballers cast their votes through a secure digital platform shared by FIFPRO and its affiliated player unions.”
The award body stated that for the women’s category, “players were judged on performances between August 4, 2025 and August 16, 2026, inclusive, with a minimum of 20 official appearances required.
“Each voter selected the three footballers they believed performed best in each position: goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward.
“The goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards with the most votes in their respective positions earned a place in the World 11. The final spot went to the remaining outfield player with the highest number of votes.”
