Olivia Smith Shortlisted for 2026 PFA Young Player of the Year

Olivia Smith’s rise shows no sign of slowing.

The Arsenal forward has been shortlisted for the 2026 PFA Young Player of the Year award, a year on from winning the same prize during her final season at Liverpool. Back‑to‑back recognition, two different clubs. That’s the mark of a player whose form travels.

The shortlist is built on votes from fellow professionals, a peer verdict on who has shaped the season. Smith is one of six to make the cut, her name sitting alongside Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea), Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Toko Koga (Tottenham Hotspur) and Veerle Buurman (Chelsea).

Arsenal moved quickly to bring her in from Liverpool last summer. She wasted no time announcing herself. At Emirates Stadium, against London City Lionesses, she stepped inside and unleashed a long-range strike that arrowed into the net on her debut. One swing of the right foot, and the new signing belonged.

That goal set the tone. Smith became a reliable source of end product across a demanding campaign, scoring 10 times in 38 appearances in all competitions in 2025/26. Not just volume, but timing.

In February, with the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup on the line against Corinthians, she struck again in a 3-2 victory that delivered the trophy. On a new stage, in a new shirt, she was decisive when it mattered.

Her club form has run alongside a growing international profile. In this calendar year, Smith has made three appearances for Canada, edging her way into a national setup that prizes versatility and work rate as much as goals.

Now comes another test of her status in the domestic game. Having already lifted the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2025, she stands on the brink of a rare double: the chance to claim the same honour two seasons running, for two different clubs.

Arsenal’s influence on the nominations does not end there. Alessia Russo is also in the frame, named among the contenders for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, underlining the strength of the squad that has formed around Smith.

All eyes turn to August 25, when the winners will be revealed at the PFA awards ceremony. If Smith’s name is called again, it will confirm what her season has already suggested: this is not just a breakout talent, but a player building a career at the very top.