Luke Littler, Lando Norris, Rory McIlroy and England Lionesses among nominees for Laureus World Sports Awards
Tuesday 3 March 2026 08:06, UK
Luke Littler, Lando Norris, Rory McIlroy and the England Women's Football Team are among the nominees for the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards.
Norris is up for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award after winning seven Grand Prix races in 2025 on his way to a maiden Formula One Drivers' Championship title with McLaren.
He is nominated alongside Littler after the oche sensation became the youngest ever PDC World Darts champion, a crown he would go on to successfully defend earlier this year.
In doing so Littler completed the Triple Crown having won the World Championship, World Matchplay and Premier League title, while also becoming World No 1 on the PDC Order of Merit at the record age of 18.
Norris and Littler are nominated alongside PSG's Désiré Doué, tennis rising star João Fonseca, NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and 12-year-old Yu Zidi, who became the youngest medallist in World Aquatics Championships history after clinching bronze.
England Women's football team are nominated for World Team of the Year after retaining their European Championship title thanks to a penalty shoot-out win over world champions Spain. Among their rivals are the European Ryder Cup Team, which secured their first away win since 2012 in New York.
"Winning a Ryder Cup is special," said Team Europe captain Luke Donald. "Winning one away from home is on a different level entirely. Going into New York, we understood exactly what was in front of us.
"An exceptionally strong US team, playing on home soil, backed by a passionate and vocal crowd. We knew the noise would be loud, the energy intense and the margins small. It was all of that - and more. Those are the moments when leadership truly matters. I was proud of how our experienced players stepped forward and set the tone. Just as proud of the younger guys who embraced the occasion and never flinched. They did not shrink from it - they grew into it."
Rory McIlroy is nominated for World Comeback of the Year award having ended his agonising 11-year wait for his first major championship since The Open in 2014. In doing so he finally sealed Masters glory after overcoming Justin Rose in a thrilling playoff at Augusta.
Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele of PSG faces competition from Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner and the Italian's fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz in the World Sportsman of the Year nominees, while Barcelona's Aitana Bonmati is looking to win World Sportswoman of the Year for the second time having won a third straight Ballon d'Or in September.
Full list of nominees:
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR
- Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) Tennis
- Ousmane Dembélé (France) Football
- Mondo Duplantis (Sweden) Athletics
- Marc Márquez (Spain) Motor Cycling
- Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia) Cycling
- Jannik Sinner (Italy) Tennis
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR
- Aitana Bonmatí (Spain) Football
- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) Athletics
- Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) Athletics
- Katie Ledecky (USA) Swimming
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) Athletics
- Aryna Sabalenka Tennis
LAUREUS WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR
- England Women's Football Team
- European Ryder Cup Team Golf
- India Women's Cricket Team
- McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team (UK) Motor Racing
- Oklahoma City Thunder (USA) Basketball
- Paris Saint-Germain (France) Football
LAUREUS WORLD BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
- Désiré Doué (France) Football
- João Fonseca (Brazil) Tennis
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) Basketball
- Luke Littler (UK) Darts
- Lando Norris (UK) Motor Racing
- Yu Zidi (China) Swimming
LAUREUS WORLD COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
- Amanda Anisimova (USA) Tennis
- Egan Bernal (Colombia) Cycling
- Rory McIlroy (UK) Golf
- Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela) Athletics
- Leah Williamson (UK) Football
- Simon Yates (UK) Cycling
LAUREUS WORLD ACTION SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR
- Yago Dora (Brazil) Surfing
- Kilian Jornet (Spain) Ultra Running
- Chloe Kim (USA) Snowboarding
- Rayssa Leal (Brazil) Skateboarding
- Molly Picklum (Australia) Surfing
- Tom Pidcock (UK) Cycling
LAUREUS WORLD SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY
- Gabriel Araújo (Brazil) Para Swimming
- Simone Barlaam (Italy) Para Swimming
- Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) Para Athletics
- Kelsey DiClaudio (USA) Para Ice Hockey
- David Kratochvíl (Czech Republic) Para Swimming
- Kiara Rodríguez (Ecuador) Para Athletics
LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD SHORTLIST
- A.S.D Gruppo Sportivo Valanga (Italy) Multi-sport x Employability
- Fútbol Mas (Global) Football x Wellbeing
- Kings County Tennis League (USA) Tennis x Inclusion
- MindLeaps (Global) Dance x Employability
- Rugby For Good (Hong Kong, China) Rugby x Inclusion
- Transformación Social TRASO (Mexico) Martial Arts x Wellbeing
