Football NSW Celebrates 2026’s Best At Gala Awards
Football NSW celebrated an unforgettable 2026 season in style on Thursday night, with more than 900 guests descending on The Star Event Centre for the 2026 Football NSW Annual Gala Dinner.
Players, coaches, referees, administrators, volunteers, club representatives and special guests gathered for Football NSW’s night of nights, celebrating the outstanding achievements and contributions across the state’s leading competitions.
Hosted by Tristan McManus, the Gala recognised the best performers from the National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW and Women’s NSW competitions, as well as the Football NSW Leagues, with Premiership winners, Championship heroes, Golden Boot winners, refereeing stars, coaches and players all taking their place in the spotlight.
Former Charles Valentine Medallists, Football NSW Life Members and members of the Football NSW Board were also among the special guests as the organisation came together to celebrate another remarkable year for the game.
The overall individual winners for the Coach, Goalkeeper and Player of the Year awards were determined by votes from clubs competing in their respective competitions.
In the NPL Men’s NSW competition, APIA Leichhardt’s Eddie Caspers claimed the prestigious Player of the Year award following a stellar campaign with the 2026 Premiers.
His teammate Presley Ortiz was also recognised after an outstanding attacking season, taking out the Golden Boot award with Western Sydney Wanderers’ Awan Lual while Franco Parisi was once again rewarded for his work guiding APIA to the Premiership with the Coach of the Year award, something he has now done on three occasions having taken out the honour in 2023 and 2025.
APIA’s success was further recognised with the club taking out the NPL Men’s NSW Club Championship.
Sydney United 58 goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic was another major individual winner, taking home the NPL Men’s NSW Goalkeeper of the Year award after playing a key role in the competition’s best defensive record.
Meanwhile, Thomas Dale was recognised as the NPL Men’s NSW Referee of the Year, with Matt Harris named Assistant Referee of the Year.
There was also recognition for one of the season’s most spectacular moments, with Manly United’s Ayumu Kimura taking out the NPL Men’s NSW Goal of the Year.
The night also celebrated a memorable campaign for Western Sydney Wanderers’ Awan Lual, who claimed the NPL Men’s NSW Golden Boot following his prolific goalscoring season alongside Ortiz.
In the NPL Women’s NSW competition, APIA Leichhardt’s Ashlie Letta took centre stage, claiming both the Golden Boot and Player of the Year awards after a sensational campaign in front of goal.
Letta’s scoring exploits were one of the major stories of the season, with the forward consistently finding the back of the net throughout 2026.
Jamie Dib was rewarded for his work with Western Sydney Wanderers by taking out the NPL Women’s NSW Coach of the Year award, while Erin Nayler of UNSW FC was recognised as Goalkeeper of the Year following a superb campaign.
The NPL Women’s NSW Club Championship was awarded to UNSW FC, recognising the club’s overall performance across the competition.
Refereeing was also celebrated, with Alana Zic named NPL Women’s NSW Referee of the Year and Hannah Pola taking out Assistant Referee of the Year.
The NPL Women’s NSW Goal of the Year went to Abbie Puckett of Macarthur Rams FC, recognising one of the standout moments of the 2026 campaign.
Across the Football NSW Leagues, there were also some outstanding individual achievements.
In FNSW League One Men’s, Aedon Kyra of Blacktown Spartans FC enjoyed a night to remember, taking out both the Golden Boot and Player of the Year awards after helping the Spartans produce one of the competition’s most impressive campaigns.
James Demetriou, who guided Blacktown Spartans to the Premiership, was named Coach of the Year, while Anthony Bouzanis was recognised as Goalkeeper of the Year.
In FNSW League One Women’s, Taiana Almeida of SD Raiders was one of the night’s standout performers, taking home both the Golden Boot and Player of the Year awards.
Michael Babic of Newcastle Jets was named Coach of the Year, while Sophie Emery of South Coast Flame FC was recognised as Goalkeeper of the Year following her impressive Championship-winning campaign.
Long serving Inter Lions administrator Santino Grieco was awarded with one of the biggest honours at this year’s Gala Awards with the coveted Charles Valentine Award, while Marco Sama of Parramatta FC was recognised as FNSW League Two Men’s Player of the Year.
Sama was also one of the competition’s leading goalscorers throughout the season, while Patrick Antelmi of Mounties Wanderers FC claimed the FNSW League Two Men’s Golden Boot after an extraordinary goalscoring campaign.
Mounties Wanderers’ dominant season was further recognised with Josh Symons taking out Player of the Year, while the club’s Premiership-winning campaign was rewarded with the FNSW League Two Men’s Club Championship.
The evening also provided an opportunity to recognise clubs that demonstrated outstanding values throughout the season, with Fair Play Awards presented across each of the six senior competitions.
South Coast Flame FC, St George FC, Central Coast Mariners FC, Manly United FC, Sydney FC and Sydney FC were among the clubs recognised for their commitment to fair play across the various competitions.
The Club Championship awards also highlighted the strength and depth of clubs across the Football NSW competitions, with Mounties Wanderers FC, SD Raiders FC, Blacktown Spartans FC, UNSW FC and APIA Leichhardt FC all recognised for their overall performances.
Football NSW would like to congratulate every award recipient and finalist recognised throughout the evening.
The 2026 season produced remarkable individual performances, dramatic Championship Series campaigns, breakthrough stars, outstanding coaching achievements and memorable moments across every level of senior football.
Most importantly, the Gala provided an opportunity to recognise the people who make the game what it is from players and coaches to referees, administrators, volunteers and club officials.
As the 2026 season officially moves into the off-season, Football NSW looks forward to building on another outstanding year and working with the football community towards an even bigger and better 2027.
2026 Football NSW Annual Gala Award Winners
Fair Play Award
FNSW League Two Men: South Coast Flame FC
FNSW League One Women: St George FC
FNSW League One Men: Central Coast Mariners FC
NPL Women’s NSW: Manly United FC
NPL Men’s NSW: Sydney FC
Club Championship
FNSW League Two Men: Mounties Wanderers FC
FNSW League One Women: SD Raiders FC
FNSW League One Men: Blacktown Spartans FC
NPL Women’s NSW: UNSW FC
NPL Men’s NSW: APIA Leichhardt FC
U20/U23 Golden Boot
FNSW League Two Men U20: Zachariah Makhlouf – Gladesville Ryde Magic
FNSW League One Women U23: Rozanna Kalitera – Blacktown Spartans
FNSW League One Men U20: Tom Parkes – Northern Tigers
NPL Women’s NSW U23: Kaylie Shannon – Gladesville Ravens
NPL Men’s NSW U20: Christian Lardieri – Sydney United 58 FC
U20/U23 Player of the Year
FNSW League Two Men U20: Piero Solinas – Bankstown United FC
FNSW League One Women U23: Taya Tolson – South Coast Flame FC
FNSW League One Men U20: Tom Parkes – Northern Tigers
NPL Women’s NSW U23: Madena Moussa – Western Sydney Wanderers
NPL Women’s NSW U23: Kaylie Shannon – Gladesville Ravens
NPL Men’s NSW U20: Joshua Falato – APIA Leichhardt FC
Referee of the Year
NPL Women’s NSW: Alana Zic
NPL Men’s NSW: Thomas Dale
Assistant Referee of the Year
NPL Women’s NSW: Hannah Pola
NPL Men’s NSW: Matt Harris
Goal of the Year
NPL Men’s NSW: Ayumu Kimura – Manly United FC
NPL Women’s NSW: Abbie Puckett – Macarthur Rams FC
Golden Boot
FNSW League Two Men: Patrick Antelmi – Mounties Wanderers FC
FNSW League One Women: Taiana Almeida – SD Raiders
FNSW League One Men: Aedon Kyra – Blacktown Spartans FC
NPL Women’s NSW: Ashlie Letta – APIA Leichhardt FC
NPL Men’s NSW: Presley Ortiz – APIA Leichhardt FC, Awan Lual – Western Sydney Wanderers
Goalkeeper of the Year
FNSW League Two Men: Daniel Vickers – Fraser Park FC
FNSW League One Women: Sophie Emery – South Coast Flame FC
FNSW League One Men: Anthony Bouzanis – Blacktown Spartans FC
NPL Women’s NSW: Erin Nayler – UNSW FC
NPL Men’s NSW: Adam Pavlesic – Sydney United 58 FC
Coach of the Year
FNSW League Two Men: Joshua Barrett – Sydney University SFC
FNSW League One Women: Michael Babic – Newcastle Jets
FNSW League One Men: James Demetriou – Blacktown Spartans FC
NPL Women’s NSW: Jamie Dib – Western Sydney Wanderers
NPL Men’s NSW: Franco Parisi – APIA Leichhardt FC
Charles Valentine Medal
FNSW Leagues: Santino Grieco – Inter Lions
Player of the Year
FNSW League Two Men: Marco Sama – Parramatta FC
FNSW League Two Men: Josh Symons – Mounties Wanderers FC
FNSW League One Women: Taiana Almeida – SD Raiders
FNSW League One Men: Aedon Kyra – Blacktown Spartans FC
NPL Women’s NSW: Ashlie Letta – APIA Leichhardt FC
NPL Men’s NSW: Eddie Caspers – APIA Leichhardt FC
Football NSW congratulates all 2026 award winners and thanks the entire football community for another outstanding season.
