Arsenal forward Olivia Smith has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Women’s Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, the association’s awards announced this week show. The 2026 prize follows Smith’s 2025 victory and recognises her performances across the 2025–26 campaign.
- Olivia Smith won the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year for a second consecutive year.
- The award was part of the PFA’s 2026 ceremony that also named Bruno Fernandes and Khadija Shaw as Players of the Year.
- Consecutive wins signal consistent peer recognition and strengthen Smith’s standing at Arsenal.
What was announced
The PFA awards for 2026 confirmed Olivia Smith as the winner of the Women’s Young Player of the Year award for the second year running. The main PFA player awards also saw manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Manchester city’s Khadija Shaw take the men’s and women’s Player of the Year prizes respectively, while Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly won the men’s Young Player prize. These winners were reported by multiple outlets covering the PFA awards.
Player and club context
Smith, who moved to Arsenal following her 2025 breakthrough, retained the young player honour after continuing the form that first brought her the award while at Liverpool. The recognition comes in a season where Arsenal were represented heavily across PFA teams of the year and award shortlists, reflecting the club’s broader strength and depth in women’s football.
Why the award matters
- Peer recognition: The PFA awards are voted on by fellow professionals, so consecutive wins underline consistent respect from opponents and team-mates.
- Development signal: Retaining a young-player award suggests rapid progression and sustained impact at top-level club football.
- Squad implications: For Arsenal, Smith’s status as a young talent with repeat recognition strengthens the club’s position when planning squad roles, rotations and public profile.
How this fits the wider PFA awards picture
The 2026 PFA ceremony recognised leading performers across both men’s and women’s football. Bruno Fernandes won the men’s Player of the Year; Khadija Shaw claimed the women’s Player of the Year for a second time. Manchester City and Arsenal players featured prominently in the PFA Teams of the Year, and Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly was named the men’s Young Player of the Year.
Reaction and remarks
Coverage of the awards included video material and short reports noting Smith’s own response to the honour. Sources report Smith described herself as “super proud” on receiving the trophy; outlets covering the event placed that phrase in their reporting of her reaction.
What comes next
For Smith, the next steps are practical rather than ceremonial: building on the momentum of back-to-back young-player awards to secure a regular influence on Arsenal’s season plans and to push for senior national-team recognition. For Arsenal, keeping Smith’s development on course will be part of balancing domestic and European ambitions; the club’s representation at the PFA awards underlines the depth the team will rely on in upcoming campaigns.
Short timeline
- 2025: Olivia Smith wins the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year while at Liverpool.
- Summer 2025: Smith transfers to Arsenal (reported in award-context coverage).
- 2025–26 season: Smith continues strong performances for Arsenal.
- August 2026: PFA announces 2026 awards; Smith wins Women’s Young Player of the Year again.
What this does — and doesn’t — tell us
The PFA Young Player award recognises excellence from players under the association’s age threshold as judged by their peers across the season. Winning it consecutively marks Smith out as a consistently high-performing young player. The award does not, by itself, provide details on contract terms, transfer fees, playing minutes or specific statistics; those elements are not part of the PFA announcement and are not claimed here.
Key takeaway
Olivia Smith’s consecutive PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year awards confirm her status as one of English football’s most highly rated young talents, reflecting sustained peer recognition and bolstering Arsenal’s young core as they plan for future domestic and European campaigns.