Shaw and other high-profile names omitted from FifPro Women’s World XI shortlist

On Monday the FifPro Women’s World XI shortlist was unveiled via the organisation’s online voting system, prompting surprise after several prominent players, including Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw, were left out of the 26-player list.

The shortlist, determined solely by votes from fellow players, comprises 26 candidates nominated by peers from around the world and has generated debate because five of the top 10 finishers in the Ballon d’Or were not included. The finalists are those who received the most votes for the period under consideration, with eligibility requiring at least 20 appearances during that timeframe.

A total of 6,511 women’s footballers from 64 countries cast votes through FifPro’s online system, with the period judged running from 4 August 2025 to 16 August 2026. The eventual World XI will contain one goalkeeper, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards who received the most votes in their positions, plus one additional outfield player with the next highest total; votes for players listed in more than one position are combined.

The full shortlist by position was published as follows. Goalkeepers: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham, Germany), Catalina Coll (Barcelona, Spain), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea, England). Defenders: Ona Batlle (Barcelona/Arsenal, Spain), Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England), Ellie Carpenter (Chelsea, Australia), Emily Fox (Arsenal, USA), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England), Mapi Leon (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain), Katie McCabe (Arsenal/Chelsea, Republic of Ireland), Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain). Midfielders: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain), Ghizlane Chebbak (Al-Hilal/Free Agent, Morocco), Patri Guijarro (Barcelona, Spain), Anaele Le Moguedec (Paris FC, France), Vicky Lopez (Barcelona, Spain), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain), Ella Toone (Manchester United, England). Forwards: Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride, Zambia), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea, England), Athenea del Castillo (Real Madrid, Spain), Ada Hegerberg (OL Lyonnes, Norway), Chloe Kelly (Arsenal, England), Ewa Pajor (Barcelona, Poland), Claudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain), Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England).

Notable absentees on the published shortlist included Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw, who finished third in the Ballon d’Or, Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, Haiti’s Melchie Dumornay, Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen and Denmark captain Pernille Harder. The omissions drew particular attention because of their profiles and recent recognition in Ballon d’Or voting.

Shaw, who was named the WSL’s Player of the Year in the referenced period, played a role in Manchester City’s league and FA Cup double and was the club’s top scorer with 21 goals in 22 games. The inclusion of England trio Ella Toone, Chloe Kelly and Aggie Beever-Jones proved controversial: all three initially failed to make the most recent Lionesses squad, Beever-Jones scored just seven goals in all competitions for club and country during the voting period, and Toone and Kelly both struggled for form and fitness during that time.

Some players who impressed for their clubs missed out on the shortlist, including Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp and Chelsea’s Lauren James, while Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg was included despite not scoring in the knockout stages of the Women’s Champions League and not being a guaranteed starter for Lyon in the first period of voting in what the article described as a below-par season for her standards. The shortlist follows previous years that also prompted debate over selections.

Last year Arsenal and Spain midfielder Mariona Caldentey was not included in the FifPro World XI despite finishing runner-up in the Ballon d’Or, and in 2024 — when 7,000 women’s footballers voted — four of the top five in the Ballon d’Or were not shortlisted, including Caroline Graham Hansen, while five England players made the cut despite not winning a major trophy that year or having any finalists in the Ballon d’Or top 10.

The winners of the FifPro Women’s World XI will be announced on Monday, 9 November at 13:00 GMT.