Prestigious Dubai Globe Soccer Awards opens doors to football fans for first time EVER – as four Premier League stars battle the world’s best for player of the year honour

Football fans will get the chance to see the world’s best battle it out for coveted player of the year honours at the prestigious Beyond Developments Dubai Globe Soccer Awards.

The competition will take place alongside the 19th Dubai International Sports Conference, at Atlantis, The Palm in partnership and support with Dubai Sports Council, on December 27. 

Four Premier League stars – Rodri, Cole Palmer, Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah – have made it into the shortlist of 18 competitors vying for the Best Men’s Player prize at the glittering gala after half of the league’s representation was cut following the first round of voting.

Fans across the world had until December 10 to have their say and the winners will be determined by a combination of fan votes and the Globe Soccer Jury, made up of legendary names such as Marcello Lippi, Francesco Totti, Iker Casillas and Luis Figo.

A record 100 million people cast their vote this year as fans looked to decide the players of the year from both the men and women’s games.

And now football fanatics will be able to attend the glitzy event in person after the awards decided to open its doors to the public for the first time ever.

The great and the good of the game will be in attendance at Atlantis, The Palm on December 27

A record 100 million votes were cast to decide the world’s best players at the awards with Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in contention

In the past, the ceremony has attracted the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe and, this time round, 200 fans will be able to buy exclusive premium tickets to the show.

Two ticket packages are available to purchase, with 150 Platinum Tickets and 50 Winners Circle Tickets up for grabs, with 10 per cent of the proceeds going to the UAE-based Al Jalila Foundation, a global healthcare organisation dedicated to advancing medical research, education, and treatment. 

Platinum Ticket holders will have access to the main live ceremony, including the Food for Champions Gala Dinner. Meanwhile, the Winners Circle Ticket holders will have a truly spectacular red-carpet experience as they mingle among the stars on the night.

Globe Soccer have also unveiled an exclusive BEYOND GLOBE SOCCER DUBAI – SIRO Golden Ticket auction, with 100 per cent of the funds raised going to the Al Jalila Foundation. 

The Golden Ticket package includes a three-night stay at the luxurious SIRO One Za’abeel, Winners Circle passes for two guests with priority seating, a meet-and-greet with the Best Men’s Player, including a photograph and autographed memorabilia, as well as a dedicated Audi limousine service for the duration of their trip. 

Interested parties can participate in the auction up until December 22.

Fans’ votes, received from more than 200 countries across the world, helped determine the finalists across eight of the 12 main categories.

Additionally, the Globe Soccer mobile app has surpassed 1.5 million downloads, underlining the event’s global appeal. 

Mohamed Salah is also in the final 18 as the Egyptian keeps bagging goals for fun at Liverpool

Cole Palmer is one of the hottest talents in the world and has made it into the final shortlist

Man City‘s Rodri will be hoping to replicate his triumph at the Ballon d’Or in Paris last month after winning the Premier League with his club and Euro 2024 with Spain.  

His teammate Haaland scooped up the prize in Dubai in 2023 and is in with a shout this year after bagging 34 goals.

Palmer, meanwhile, carried Chelsea on his back last campaign before scoring a memorable goal in the Euro final against Spain. He already has seven goals in 11 Premier League appearances this season.

Salah’s future at Liverpool might be uncertain but his importance to Arne Slot‘s side is not, as the winger’s goals helped the Reds come back from 2-1 down against Southampton on the weekend to secure three points and surge eight points clear at the top of the league. 

Elsewhere, Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior has been offered up an opportunity to put his Ballon d’Or snub behind him and end the season with some silverware. 

After news broke earlier on the day of the Paris ceremony that the selection panel had chosen Rodri as their victor, Real Madrid and Vinicius decided to pull the plug on their trip to the gala, held at the Theatre du Chatelet.

The Spanish giants had hoped that if their Brazilian forward was not given the nod, right-back Dani Carvajal might be handed the gong after winning La Liga, the Champions League and the Euros. 

But when it was leaked today that the Man City man  was in fact the winner, Real reacted furiously and not a single club representative was there to watch their team win several honours at the event and their players place highly in the main list.

Last year’s winner Erling Haaland has continued his form in front of goal and is in with a shout

Meanwhile Vinicius Junior can make up for his Ballon d’Or snub with a memorable win in Dubai

The men’s player of the year award features stars from seven leagues and will be given on Dec 27

Two English stars will be hoping to receive the women’s player of the year award next month

Carvajal is also in contention at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards along with teammate and England international Jude Bellingham who secured a league and Champions League double with Los Blancos last season. 

Old stalwarts Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, winners of seven men’s player of the year awards at the Dubai event over the years, also make the shortlist for their perfomances at Inter Miami and Al Nassr respectively.

As for best women’s player, Aitana Bonmati will be aiming to follow up her Ballon d’Or nod with another honour here, while English stars Lucy Bronze and Lauren James will be hoping to spring an upset.

The SIRO Golden Ticket Auction can be found here: https://www.globesoccer.com/auctions 

Platinumlist Ticket Sales: https://www.globesoccer.com/tickets