The recently concluded women’s edition of the FIFA Series 2026™ saw goals flow in Abidjan, Cuiaba, Nairobi and Ratchaburi. While it was Australia that triumphed in the Kenya Series, elsewhere the hosts dazzled in winning their home editions, thanks in large part to a string of electric attacking displays.
It was little surprise then that a quartet of influential assist makers and goal takers scooped the top individual honours across the four venues. FIFA reviews the established and emerging stars who collected Player of the Tournament gongs in Africa, Asia and South America.
Just over a year out from the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, Brazil laid down some serious title-contending markers as they reeled off consecutive wins against Korea Republic, Zambia and Canada.
The dynamic Kerolin was at the heart of much of her nation’s dazzling attacking displays. With a pair of goals and assists, the Manchester City star was involved in a third of Brazil’s 12 scoreboard-movers in Cuiaba.
Late last year, ASEC Mimosas forward Habibou Ouedraogo was named tournament MVP as her club side finished as runners-up in the CAF Women’s Champions League. The electric 24-year-old left winger has now claimed top honours at national level as well, having played a key role in Côte d’Ivoire claiming Series honours on home soil.
After grabbing a late first-half brace in her nation’s hefty opening win against Mauritania, she then iced a 2-0 victory over Pakistan to secure top spot in Abidjan.
With a degree in human biology and philosophy from top American college Stanford under her belt, Amy Sayer is proving just as capable of untangling complex problems on the pitch as she is off it.
The 24-year-old forward came off the bench in the Matildas 5-0 opening win against Malawi and then played an influential role as a starter in the decider against Kenya. A string of incisive passes from the right created plenty of problems for the hosts, while she also came close to scoring herself on a number of occasions as Australia claimed Series honours with a 2-0 victory.
Thailand put on a show in front of their home fans in Ratchaburi, seeing off New Caledonia 4-0 in their opener before edging Congo DR in the final. Their six goals were scored by half-a-dozen different players, with one of the region’s most highly regarded starlets grabbing the pick of them to seal the title.
With Thailand holding a 1-0 lead as stoppage time arrived in the decider, 20-year-old Wirunya Kwaenkasikarm collected the ball midway inside her own half, knocked it past one defender, left another gasping for air and then unleashed a 40-yard strike that flew into the goal off the hand of the Congolese keeper.
