FIFA to discontinue The Best awards

The Federation has reached an agreement with the Dubai Sports Council to replace the accolade for the world's top footballers.

 The new "World Football Awards" will be presented starting in 2026 in the Middle Eastern city. The categories and format are soon to be defined, though they will most likely be inherited from the current ceremony.

The agreement also included a Memorandum of Understanding signed by President Infantino and Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed, aiming for Dubai to not only host the awards but also serve as a global partner for FIFA in developing new projects.

The FIFA The Best awards were established in 2016 following the dissolution of the FIFA Ballon d'Or partnership with France Football magazine. Throughout its ten editions, Lionel Messi and Aitana Bonmatí were the most successful winners, with three awards each.