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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year after an outstanding 2025-26 Premier League campaign.

The 31-year-old midfielder played a key role in United’s third-place finish, providing a league-record 21 assists and scoring nine goals. His performances also saw him become the second-fastest Manchester United player in the Premier League era to reach 200 goal involvements, achieving the milestone in 314 appearances, behind only Wayne Rooney’s 295.

Fernandes, who joined United in 2020, is the second Portuguese player to win the prestigious award after Cristiano Ronaldo claimed it in 2007 and 2008.

United manager Michael Carrick gave Fernandes greater freedom in attack, a role that allowed the captain to further influence matches with his creativity and vision.
“Bruno can just create moments. He’s bright. I think that little bit of freedom suits him,” Carrick said earlier in the season.
Fernandes has now recorded 110 goals and 106 assists for United. His award also means Manchester United players have won the men’s PFA Player of the Year prize 12 times, more than any other club in England and Wales.

In the women’s category, Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw was named PFA Women’s Player of the Year for the second time after finishing as the Women’s Super League’s top scorer with 21 goals.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly won the Men’s Young Player of the Year award after making 53 appearances and scoring nine goals in a breakthrough campaign. Arsenal striker Olivia Smith claimed the Women’s Young Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year.

The PFA Premier League Team of the Year included David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, Nico O’Reilly, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice, Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago.

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The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, and its General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, have resigned from their respective positions, weeks before the federation’s elective congress.

Sanusi, who previously served as the federation’s chief scribe, confirmed the development in a statement, saying both he and Gusau had stepped down.

“Yes, the news about the resignation of the president and myself is true,” Sanusi reportedly said.

The development came amid mounting pressure on the NFF leadership and less than one month before the federation’s elective congress scheduled to hold on September 27 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

Gusau had, however, dismissed suggestions that he was under pressure when he spoke with journalists on Wednesday during the unveiling of the Nigeria Premier Football League season.

The resignation marks an unprecedented development in the history of football administration in Nigeria, with the NFF’s two top officials leaving office at the same time.

The leadership had been embroiled in a prolonged dispute with the Shehu Dikko-led National Sports Commission over several administrative and funding-related matters.

The disagreement reportedly affected the release of funds to the NFF for the organisation and participation in various domestic, national and international football competitions.

The latest development is expected to have significant implications for the administration of Nigerian football as stakeholders prepare for the September elective congress.

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Italy’s national football federation (FIGC) said on Wednesday it has withdrawn its support for embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino over his failed attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup.

The move comes as a host of European national associations, including England, Ireland and Wales, already scrapped their backing of Infantino who is seeking re-election at next year’s FIFA Congress.

“This decision is intended to clearly and transparently express the FIGC’s position… regarding the recent initiatives promoted by the FIFA president concerning the governance and development of international competitions,” FIGC wrote in a statement.

Infantino has come under increasing pressure to step down as head of world football’s governing body over his now-abandoned plan to secure private investment in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

UEFA, which oversees European football, has threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions.

“We will continue to work alongside UEFA and the other European federations to promote a vision of football based on merit, solidarity, sustainability and the central role of the fans,” said FIGC head Giovanni Malago.

“We identify with a model of dialogue, listening and shared responsibility which has, to date, enabled football to grow, innovate and, at the same time, defend its founding principles.”

Infantino, 56, a former UEFA secretary general, had the broad backing of European nations when he succeeded Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016.