Gala ceremony for Best FIFA Football Awards to be held in London in January

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The Best FIFA Football Awards will be staged in London in January, world soccer's governing body said Friday.

The gala event, which will see the likes of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola, Aitana Bonmati and Emma Hayes in contention for big prizes, will be held on Jan. 15.

It is the eighth edition of the awards, which celebrates the "planet's top players, coaches, fans, goals, and acts of fair play." It is the third time it has been hosted in London, following previous ceremonies in 2016 and 2017.

FIFA did not say which venue had been chosen for the ceremony.

Eight awards are voted for by coaches, captains, journalists and fans. They include the best men's and women's player, coach and goalkeeper.

Among other awards is the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.

Messi was named the best men's player in 2022 and Alexia Putellas won the women's award.

Argentina's World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni and England's European Championship winning coach Sarina Wiegman won the awards for their respective coaching categories.

Women's World Cup stars Bonmati, Linda Caicedo and Lauren James are among the nominees for the women's player award this year.

Messi, Haaland and Kylian Mbappé are among the names up for the men's award.

Guardiola is up for the best men's coach award after winning the treble last year with Manchester City. New U.S. women's coach Emma Hayes is among a strong field in the women's category, with Wiegman and Barcelona's Champions League-winning coach Jonatan Giraldez among the nominees.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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