The race for the world’s best goalkeeper is on. On 8 September 2026, the Ballon d’Or organisers named the Yashin Trophy 2026 nominees: 10 goalkeepers competing for the award at the ceremony in London on 26 October. It’s the first Ballon d’Or ceremony held outside Paris in the award’s 70-year history, a tribute to England’s Sir Stanley Matthews, the first winner in 1956.
The full list of Yashin Trophy 2026 nominees
| Goalkeeper | Country | Club | Key 2025-26 achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joan García | Spain | Barcelona | La Liga, Zamora Trophy, World Cup winner |
| Unai Simón | Spain | Athletic Club | World Cup Golden Glove |
| David Raya | Spain | Arsenal | Third straight Premier League Golden Glove |
| Matvey Safonov | Russia | Paris Saint-Germain | Ligue 1, Champions League, Super Cup |
| Emiliano Martínez | Argentina | Chelsea (ex-Aston Villa) | World Cup finalist, two-time winner |
| Thibaut Courtois | Belgium | Real Madrid | Second in La Liga for clean sheets |
| Gregor Kobel | Switzerland | Borussia Dortmund | Most Bundesliga clean sheets (15) |
| Yassine Bounou | Morocco | Al-Hilal | AFCON Golden Glove, King’s Cup |
| Édouard Mendy | Senegal | Al Ahli | Back-to-back AFC Champions League titles |
| Vozinha | Cape Verde | Chaves/Colo-Colo | World Cup quarter-finals at 40 |
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Spain’s world champions lead the way
Three of the 10 are Spanish, and all three won the World Cup this summer.
- Joan García is the favourite in Sports Illustrated’s ranking. In his first nomination, he won La Liga with Barcelona, took the Zamora Trophy and had the best save percentage of any nominee (77.9%).
- Unai Simón was Spain’s World Cup hero. He kept a record seven clean sheets in North America and conceded just once in eight games to win the Golden Glove.
- David Raya won his third Premier League Golden Glove in a row, with 19 clean sheets for champions Arsenal.
The contenders chasing them
Emiliano Martínez is the only nominee who has won the award before, in both 2023 and 2024. He helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Spain, and has since joined Chelsea.
Matvey Safonov had a trophy-filled season with PSG, winning Ligue 1, the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup. Thibaut Courtois and Gregor Kobel remain among the most consistent keepers in Europe.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old story of the year
The most remarkable name on the list is Vozinha. At 40, the Cape Verde captain led one of the world’s smallest football nations to the World Cup quarter-finals, one of the biggest stories of the tournament.
Yassine Bounou and Édouard Mendy also represent Africa. Bounou won the AFCON Golden Glove with Morocco, and Mendy won a second straight AFC Champions League with Al Ahli.
How the winner is chosen
An international jury of journalists votes, considering individual performances, team success and fair play across the 2025-26 season. The winner will replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, who won in 2025 but wasn’t nominated this year.
FAQ
Who are the Yashin Trophy 2026 nominees?
Joan García, Unai Simón, David Raya, Matvey Safonov, Emiliano Martínez, Thibaut Courtois, Gregor Kobel, Yassine Bounou, Édouard Mendy and Vozinha.
When is the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony?
26 October 2026 in London, the first time it has been held outside Paris.
Who is the favourite for the 2026 Yashin Trophy?
Sports Illustrated ranks Barcelona’s Joan García first, ahead of Unai Simón and David Raya.
Who won the Yashin Trophy in 2025?
Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Sources: Sports Illustrated; UEFA; Yahoo Sports.
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