The 2026 FIFPRO Women’s World XI has been unveiled, and the eleven-player line-up is heavily shaped by English and Spanish talent. FIFPRO announced the squad in a post on its X account on Monday, revealing that 6,511 professional women’s footballers from around the world took part in the vote.
The FIFPRO World XI stands apart from most major individual football honours because it is decided entirely by professional players, who assess their peers on the strength of their performances. Voting was conducted through a secure digital platform shared by FIFPRO and its affiliated player unions.
How the Team Was Chosen
For the women’s category, players were judged on their performances between 4 August 2025 and 16 August 2026, inclusive, and were required to have made at least 20 official appearances. Each voter selected the three footballers they considered the 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 secured places in the World 11. The final spot went to the remaining outfield player with the highest number of votes.
Defence and Midfield
The defensive line features two English and two Spanish players. Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood represent England, while Mapi Leon and Irene Paredes complete the back line for Spain.
In midfield, Barcelona pair Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, both three-time Ballon d’Or winners, are joined by England’s Ella Toone in a three-player setup.
Banda Leads the Attack
Zambia’s Barbra Banda headlines the forward line as the only African player in the squad. She is joined by Claudia Pina and Alessia Russo.
Banda’s selection marks her third consecutive appearance in the FIFPRO Women’s World XI, making her the first African woman to achieve the feat. She also remains the most-selected African woman in the team’s history.
The Full 2026 FIFPRO Women’s World XI
Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea, England), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City, England), Mapi Leon (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain) and Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain).
Midfielders: Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona, Spain), Alexia Putellas (Barcelona/London City Lionesses, Spain) and Ella Toone (Manchester United, England).
Forwards: Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride, Zambia), Claudia Pina (Barcelona, Spain) and Alessia Russo (Arsenal, England).
The line-up underscores the continued strength of English and Spanish football on the global stage, with Banda the sole representative from outside those two nations among the eleven players honoured.
