Salem Al-Dawsari, captain of the Saudi national team and Al Hilal club, aims to win the Asian Footballer of the Year award for 2025. Al-Dawsari seeks to help the Saudi Green team qualify for the 2026 World Cup through the Asian playoffs against Indonesia and Iraq, while boosting his chances of winning the best Asian player award. Okaz newspaper exclusively reported on July 1 that Al-Dawsari was nominated for the top award in Asia.

The Saudi star competes for the Asian Footballer of the Year alongside Qatari duo Akram Afif and Malaysian Arif Aiman Hanapi. Al-Dawsari hopes to win the award for the second time after becoming the top scorer of the 2024/2025 Asian Elite Champions League with 10 goals, winning the best local player award in the Saudi Roshn Pro League last season, and earning the best player award in the Al Hilal vs. Pachuca match at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Akram Afif hopes to be the first player to win the award three times after helping Al Sadd win the Qatari league title for the 18th time and reach the AFC Champions League quarterfinals. He also played a key role in Qatar’s qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup.

Malaysian Arif Aiman is the first Malaysian nominated for this award after an outstanding 2024/2025 season, leading Johor Darul Ta’zim to the AFC Champions League round of 16, scoring five goals, and achieving a domestic treble.

The Saudi Football Federation will host the 29th annual AFC Awards ceremony in Riyadh on October 16, 2025. This event joins the series of major sports events hosted by the Kingdom. The ceremony, held in Riyadh for the first time at the King Fahd Cultural & Conference Center, will honor 20 winners in various categories, including best federation, best player, best coach, as well as individual and team awards celebrating the achievements of the continent’s top football stars and officials.