Asian Golden Player 2026 voting opens

Founded by Titan Sports, the Asian Golden Player award is entering a new phase of development. The 2026 edition will be jointly organised by Titan Sports, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) and its Asian section, AIPS Asia. Sports journalists from around the world will cast their votes through the AIPS voting system to select the best-performing Asian footballer of the year.

The history of the Asian Golden Player award dates back to 2013, when Titan Sports, part of Titan Media, established the honour to recognise the outstanding achievements of Asian footballers through independent voting by professional sports journalists. Over the past decade, the award has gradually grown into an internationally recognised media accolade in Asian football. South Korean star Son Heung-min is the most decorated player in the award's history. His outstanding performances for European clubs and the South Korean national team have earned him multiple titles, including his record-extending 10th Asian Golden Player award in 2025.

Through AIPS's global network of journalists, the award aims to further expand its voting base, bringing together more professional journalists from different countries and regions and introducing a broader international perspective to the selection process.

The award's official English name will also be changed to Asian Golden Player, while its eligibility criteria have been revised. Starting with the 2026 edition, only players eligible to represent the national teams or representative teams of AFC member associations will qualify, regardless of whether they play for clubs in Asia, Europe or elsewhere in the world. Players from non-AFC associations who compete in Asian domestic leagues, and who were previously eligible, will no longer qualify.

For the full list of nominees and the detailed voting rules for the 2026 edition, please refer to the link below:

https://www.aipsmedia.com/index.html?page=survey&q=21