TEHRAN - Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand has been nominated for the 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year award following an impressive season for club and country, highlighted by his performance at the FIFA World Cup.
The AFC announced the nominees on Friday, with Beiranvand named alongside Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al Dawsari and Firas Al Buraikan for the continent’s top individual honor.
The 34-year-old produced one of his standout performances against Belgium at the 2026 World Cup. He made seven saves to help Iran secure a goalless draw and was named Player of the Match.
Beiranvand featured in all three of Iran’s group-stage matches. Although the national team failed to advance to the knockout stage, his individual performances drew attention during the tournament.
Iran missed out on progression from the group stage on goal difference. The confederation also highlighted Beiranvand’s status as Iran’s most-capped goalkeeper at international level.
At club level, Beiranvand enjoyed a successful campaign with Tractor. He played an important role in the Tabriz-based side’s domestic league and AFC Champions League Elite campaigns, recording several clean sheets in the continental competition as Tractor advanced to the knockout stage.
The nomination marks Beiranvand’s second appearance among the finalists for the AFC Player of the Year award. He was first nominated in 2019 after impressing at the 2018 World Cup and continuing his strong form for club and country. Qatar’s Akram Afif won the award that year.
Beiranvand faces competition from two Saudi Arabia internationals with strong campaigns of their own.
Al Buraikan earned his first nomination after scoring the winning goal for Al Ahli in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite final. The victory secured the Saudi club’s second consecutive title in the competition.
The 26-year-old forward also helped Al Ahli finish third in the domestic league. He scored twice for Saudi Arabia in the Asian qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup and started all three of his country’s matches at the tournament.
Al Dawsari, meanwhile, is seeking a record third Player of the Year title. The Saudi star won the award in 2022 and 2025 and is seeking to become the first player to claim it three times.
The 35-year-old reached nine World Cup appearances in 2026, placing him joint second among Saudi players for appearances at the tournament. He also captained Al Hilal during the 2025-26 season, when the club completed its league campaign unbeaten and won the Saudi King’s Cup for the 10th time.
Beiranvand is not the only Iranian representative among this year’s nominees.
Futsal internationals Hussein Tayebi and Saeid Ahmad Abbasi are shortlisted for the AFC Futsal Player of the Year award, while Marzieh Jafari is nominated for Women’s Coach of the Year.
The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is also a contender for the AFC President Recognition Award for Grassroots Football in the Gold category.
The 30th edition of the AFC Annual Awards is scheduled to take place in Thailand on Thursday, November 19.