● Huge number of votes registered in first voting window, equalling last year’s entire cumulative total; final voting period open for fans worldwide now until December 10
● Hosted by Dubai Sports Council, the 19th Dubai International Sports Conference and Beyond Developments Globe Soccer Dubai Awards will take place on December 27 at five-star Atlantis, The Palm
Dubai, UAE – November 28, 2024: Interest in next month’s annual Beyond Developments Globe Soccer Dubai Awards has already hit fever pitch, with a record-equalling 70 million votes being cast during the first polling window. The record number of votes have determined the finalists across eight of the 12 main categories ahead of a prestigious gala, set to take place alongside the 19th Dubai International Sports Conference on December 27 at Atlantis, The Palm in partnership and with the support of Dubai Sports Council.
The first round of public voting closed on Monday, with more than double the amount of votes registered at the same stage of 2023, and participation from over 200 nations worldwide. Additionally, the Globe Soccer mobile app has surpassed 1.5 million downloads, underlining the event’s global appeal.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland will be vying to retain his Best Men’s Player award at the 15th edition of the showpiece event at the five-star venue, with club teammate Rodri, Real Madrid trio Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, as well as legendary duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi among the stars standing in his way.
The Norwegian is also a contender in the 10-man shortlist in the Best Forward category, which includes City colleague Phil Foden, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. The Best Midfielder category consists of the aforementioned Bellingham and Rodri, with Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka also in the running.
The Best Women’s Player category has a 12-player shortlist, which includes Spain’s World Cup-winning duo Aitana Bonmatí and Salma Paralluelo and Barcelona’s Caroline Graham Hansen. Meanwhile, reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and Spanish giants Real Madrid are among the outfits competing for Best Men’s Club, with FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich part of a final four-shortlist contesting the Best Women’s Club. Fans have until December 10 to vote for their favourites at vote.globesoccer.com, with the final winners determined by a combination of fan votes and the Globe Soccer Jury, which is made up of legendary names such as Marcello Lippi, Francesco Totti, Iker Casillas, and Luis Figo.
In a heartwarming initiative, an online auction in December will see one lucky bidder become the recipient of an exclusive SIRO GOLDEN TICKET to this year’s Beyond Developments Globe Soccer Dubai Awards. All proceeds raised from the auction will go directly to the Al Jalila Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation transforming lives through medical research, education and treatment in the UAE. The once-in-a-lifetime experience will include a return trip to Dubai, a three-night stay at SIRO One Za’abeel, VIP access to the awards ceremony itself, and a meet-and-greet with the Best Men’s Player.
Globe Soccer’s existing partnerships with Emirates, Saudi Sports Company, Audi, Sunset Hospitality Group, Italpreziosi, Mansory, Silver Sands, Azimut Yachts remain in place for this year’s event, as well as the new strategic partnership with the title sponsor Beyond Developments and SIRO One Za’abeel.
The Beyond Developments Globe Soccer Awards will be broadcast internationally across several networks, giving fans around the world the chance to experience the excitement of the event in real-time. Saudi Sports Company is the official host broadcaster. As the event draws closer, fans can also stay informed through Globe Soccer’s social media channels and the official Globe Soccer mobile app, available on both iOS and Android.
*For a press kit including images, videos and various artworks, click here.
*For a full list of finalists for the 12 main awards please click here.
*For the official voting page, click here.