Hello, one and all. It’s great to have you with us at The Athletic and we’ve got a great, late-year treat for you today.
The Ballon d’Or has been and gone for 2024, but this is the one FIFA — world soccer’s governing body — really wants you to care about.
The Best FIFA Awards ceremony has graced us with its presence only since January 2017 but with the might of FIFA behind it, you imagine its annual relevance will only grow from here.
There are nine gongs on offer — including the inaugural Marta Award for the best goal of the year in women’s football — as well as plenty of narratives to dissect and digest across the various shortlists.
All that is to come as we build up to the occasion, taking place at Aspire Academy in Doha, Qatar.
So get ready to reminisce, bring your staunch opinions, and settle in for a fun few hours, because we’ve got you covered from here.