Jamie Carragher delighted as Women’s Football Awards ‘continues to flourish’

Jamie Carragher is back to host the ceremony alongside Gabby Logan (Picture: Getty)

Jamie Carragher and Toni Duggan have hailed the continued growth of the Women’s Football Awards ahead of the fourth edition in London tonight.

Launched in 2022 in partnership with Metro, it has quickly become a major and influential awards event for women’s football across Britain and Europe

And the flagship event will once again celebrate the game’s brightest stars, trailblazers and game-changers – both on and off the pitch – in a star-studded event featuring many of the biggest names in the sport.

Former Liverpool defender Carragher will return to co-host the night for a fourth successive year, and is delighted to see how rapidly the awards have grown.

‘This night has just continued to flourished, hasn’t it,’ he told Metro ahead this year’s awards.

‘Over the last decade or so, women’s football feels like it’s getting bigger and bigger each year, and it’s been great to play my part with this night.

‘Once I got involved with it, I enjoyed it, and kept doing it. And as with the women’s game, each year the awards are growing and getting bigger and better.’

Get personalised football updates every day

Sign up to our daily football newsletter and choose your team to get the latest news, rumours and more about your favourite team.

Alessia Russo won Player of the Year at the 2025 Women’s Football Awards (Picture: Getty)

The rapid growth of the WSL in recent years means players from six different countries have been shortlisted for the two main awards.

And Carragher believes that ‘internation flavour’ will only help the league become the standout product in women’s domestic football.

‘It’s similar to the men’s Premier League – you want the best of everything,’ he added. ‘You want the best players in the world, the best managers but also a pathway for young English players and obviously young English girls as well.

‘So it’s always about striking that right balance between the two. I don’t think you can probably ever get that perfect with lots of people’s eyes because we’re all probably want slightly different things.

Former England footballer Toni Duggan is an ambassador for the Women’s Football Awards (Picture: Getty)

‘But I think you do have to have that international favour in a league. We’ve seen the strength of the Premier League and that definitely only helps the WSL.’

Headlining the shortlist for the standout individual honour is Bunny Shaw, who has enjoyed another prolific season in front of goal for Manchester City.

The Jamaica international won Player of the Year back in 2024, and former Lionesses star Duggan, an ambassador for the Women’s Football Awards, would not be surprised to see the 29-year-old claim it again tonight.

‘She’s been absolutely incredible,’ Duggan told Metro. ‘I love Bunny as a player. I met with her recently for an interview, and even off the pitch, I think her enthusiasm and her ability to want to achieve more is so impressive.

Bunny Shaw is the favourite to take home the main award (Picture: Getty)

‘She’s had so much success as well due to the players around her, and I think she would say that herself. Her and Viv [Miedema] staying fit has helped Man City so much, and when you add in the likes of Lauren Hemp supplying her to get those goals.

‘I think City as a whole have had a fantastic season but Bunny is just unstoppable when she gets them oportunities If she wins, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me. She’d definitely have my vote.’

Thursday’s event will also look to celebrate the important figures and organisations that work behind the scenes to help drive the sport forward, which reprsents a vital part of the awards for Duggan.

‘I think that’s what makes me the most proud with these awards,’ she added. ‘I came through in a generation where we actually had a lot of success compared to those who came before us when the game wasn’t professional, when there weren’t the opportunities that I have.

‘So it’s kind of to thank those people, to recognise those people, to also recognise the people behind the scenes that people aren’t too familiar with.

‘Because there’s people putting in so much effort behind the scenes in women’s football, whether it be brands, whether it be partnerships, kit men, people in the canteen.

‘There are so many trailblazers that need to deserve to be recognised. So the Women’s Football Awards brings that opportunity to recognise these people, and not just the footballers on the pitch.’

SHEIN Women’s Football Awards shortlist

Player of the Year

Lauren Hemp (Manchester City) Bunny Shaw (Manchester City) Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City) Jess Park (Manchester United) Ella Toone (Manchester United) Kiko Seike (Brighton & Hove Albion) Hannah Hampton (Chelsea) Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa) Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal) Alessia Russo (Arsenal) Vivianne Miedema (Manchester City)

Young Player of the Year

Tōko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur) Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City) Michelle Agyemang (Brighton & Hove Albion) Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses) Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea) Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United) Grace Clinton (Manchester City) Aoba Fujino (Manchester City) Nelly Las (Leicester City) Ruby Mace (Everton) Lenna Gunning-Williams (Tottenham Hotspur)

International Player of the Year

Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich) Caroline Weir (Real Madrid) Alèxia Putellas (Barcelona) Romée Leuchter (Paris Saint-Germain) Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich) Ewa Pajor (Barcelona) Claudia Pina (Barcelona) Melchie Dumornay (Lyon) Tessa Wullaert (Inter Milan) Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid) Victoria López (Barcelona)

Club of the Year

Manchester City Wrexham London City Lionesses Manchester United Chelsea Glasgow City Tottenham Hotspur Arsenal Charlton Athletic Hearts Brighton & Hove Albion

Media Figure of the Year

Kelly Cates Karen Carney MBE Lianne Sanderson Laura Woods Reshmin Chowdhury Alex Scott MBE Mina Ibrahim Suzanne Wrack Katie Whyatt Faye Carruthers Mollie and Rosie Kmita

Best Marketing Campaign

Sports Direct & Fresh Base Productions – Legacy Starts Here AXA – Keep On Kicking Lidl – Never Stop Growing Adidas & Intersport – Make Football Their Game Chelsea & Here We Flo – We Don’t Bleed Blue. We Bleed. Period. PepsiMAX & Hope&Glory – Thirsty for More Unilever – Hellmann’s Russo Burger The FA & Disrupt – Made For This Game WSL Football & Anomaly – Watch This Nike & Wieden+Kennedy London – IIOME Heineken – Cheers to the Superstitious Fans

Best Grassroots Initiative

Liverpool FA – She Inspires GoCardless – Grassroots Football Partnership Tottenham Hotspur Foundation – Girls & Women Programme Flutter UK & Ireland – Cash4Clubs McDonald’s – Fun Football Steven Gerrard Academy – Girls Football Programme Electric Ireland – Game Changers NI Starling Bank – Kick On With Starling Octopus Energy – Kits For Kids Manchester City – City in the Community SP Energy Networks – Wrexham Partnership

Brand of the Year

Lucozade Sport Adidas EA Sports British Gas Skoda UK Rexona Barclays Adobe Three UK VISA Nike

Best Social Media

Juventus The FA – Lionesses Chelsea Newcastle United Aston Villa Tottenham Hotspur Bristol City Manchester United Rangers Manchester City Adobe – Women’s FA Cup

Global Impact Award

PlayStation VisitMalta VISA Adidas Iberdrola PepsiCo Booking.com Amazon Google Pixel Kynisca Nike

Best Fan Engagement

Disney+ EA Sports Chelsea London City Lionesses Birmingham City Panini Glasgow City Havas Play Charlton Athletic TikTok YouTube

Legal Team of the Year

Linklaters RPC Thackray Williams Evelyn Partners Lawrence Stephens Limited Penningtons Manches Cooper Tottenham Hotspur Legal Team Capital Law Mills & Reeve Paul Robinson Solicitors Bird & Bird

Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility Award

Admiral Lidl Adobe Unilever Domestic & General Xero Apple RSK Bute Energy The Premier League Deloitte

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award

Arsenal EE Pixel FC Academy The FA West Ham United Mastercard Utilita Brighton & Hove Albion VISA Three UK Liverpool

Community Impact Award

Sunderland Carpenters Group Bristol City Crane Worldwide Logistics Her Game Too Xero London City Lionesses Domis Brighton & Hove Albion E.ON Goals4Girls

Football Business of the Year

ORRECO Mercury13 We Are Athlete CAA SPORTS Gravity Media LiveScore Group Foudys EA Sports Kynsica Sportfive Twenty3

Football Agency of the Year

Wasserman CAA SPORTS CMG SPORTS Gen Z Football Ignite Talent Tongue Tied Management PLG A&V Sports Group Gestifute Livida Sport Quantum Sport

Football Business Trailblazer

Kay Cossington Aki Mandhar Maggie Murphy Sarah Batters Zoe Johnson Jemma White Sola Kasali Charlotte O’Neill Laura Downey Laura Montgomery Liz Ellen

Best Breakthrough Business

E.l.f Beauty Modibodi Mercedes-Benz UK Airbnb British Gas Guinness AFTA Studios PLG Revolut Skechers Crocs EU

Women’s Football Champion

Rose Read Nadine Kessler Nikki Doucet Jemma White Michele Kang Ebru Köksal Debbie Hewitt MBE Joelle Murray Rachel Pavlou Simone Pound MBE Vic Akers OBE

Game Changer Award

Rachel Yankey OBE Gillian Coultard MBE Eartha Pond Shelley Kerr MBE Kelly Smith MBE Nikita Parris Ellen White MBE Gilly Flaherty Fran Kirby Ini Umotong Jess Fishlock MBE

Off The Pitch Award

Stephen Lansdown CBE Michael Williamson Matt Johnson Bethan Woolley Tammy Parlour MBE Lungi Macebo Rachel Pavlou Liz Ellen Lola Ogunbote Helen Hardy Jo Osborne

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news onFacebook,** Twitter and Instagram**.

Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source