PNG, Solomon Islands footballers in consideration for The Best FIFA Football Awards

Three Oceania footballers have been nominated for consideration in The Best FIFA Women's 11 football award.

Papua New Guinea midfielder Ramona Padio, Solomon Islands goalkeeper Zainab Donga, and New Zealand defender Rebekah Stott have been nominated alongside 88 of the world's best.

Players are picked for consideration based on performances between 11 August 2024 and 2 August 2025, and football fans then decide the best 11 by voting on the FIFA website.

Padio won the golden ball for the best player of the tournament at the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women's Nations Cup in Fiji.

She was also part of the Papua New Guinea team which made the OFC Women's Nations Cup final, and the Hekari United squad that made the OFC Women's Champions League final in May.

She was honoured "to represent my nation and the region" as a nominee.

She said she had sacrificed a lot, and given 100 per cent of her time and efforts to both the national team and Hekari United this season.

"My main goal is to play in a FIFA Women's World Cup before I end my career in football, so I still need to work very hard with my teammates to make sure we can achieve that and qualify for 2027, during OFC qualifying next year."

Zainab Donga helped the Solomon Islands to their first OFC Women's Nations Cup title in Suva in July, and took the golden glove for best keeper.

Meanwhile, New Zealand defender Stott took the A-League Women's Premiers Plate with Melbourne City earlier in the year, and remains an integral part of the New Zealand national team set-up.

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