Olivia Smith Nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year Again

Olivia Smith’s rise shows no sign of slowing.

Twelve months after swapping Liverpool red for Arsenal colours, the Canadian forward has been shortlisted for the 2026 PFA Young Player of the Year award – and she’s chasing history. Smith is in the running to lift the prize for a second successive season, having claimed it in 2025 on the back of her final campaign at Liverpool.

This latest nomination is no courtesy nod. It’s a reflection of a first year in north London that crackled with big moments and big goals.

She announced herself in style. On her Arsenal debut at Emirates Stadium, Smith unleashed a stunning long‑range strike against London City Lionesses, the sort of goal that instantly endears a new signing to a new crowd. It set the tone for a campaign in which she repeatedly delivered when the stage lights burned brightest.

The pressure ramped up again in February, this time in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup. Arsenal edged Corinthians 3-2 in a thriller, and Smith was on the scoresheet once more, driving her team toward the first-ever title in the competition. It was the kind of contribution that sticks in the minds of fellow professionals when ballot papers go out.

Across the 2025/26 season, Smith put together a body of work that demanded attention: 10 goals in 38 matches in all competitions. Not an empty-stat campaign either – her strikes came threaded through decisive fixtures, cup ties and European nights, adding weight to her growing reputation as a player for the big occasion.

Her club form has dovetailed with international recognition. In this calendar year, Smith has added three more appearances for Canada, nudging her way further into the national-team picture as her influence grows on both stages.

She does not stand alone on the PFA shortlist. The field underlines the depth of young talent reshaping the women’s game in England: Alyssa Thompson and Veerle Buurman fly the flag for Chelsea, Freya Godfrey represents London City Lionesses, Laura Blindkilde Brown carries the Manchester City colours, and Toko Koga steps up for Tottenham Hotspur. Six emerging players, one award, and a vote of confidence from those who share their pitch every week.

There is Arsenal interest elsewhere on the ballot too. Alessia Russo features among the nominations for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award, a separate accolade that recognises the game’s standout performer across all age groups.

For Smith, though, the narrative is clear. From that first thunderbolt at Emirates Stadium to a Champions Cup winner’s medal and a double‑digit goal return, she has forced herself back into the awards conversation on merit, not memory.

On August 25, when the winners are revealed at the ceremony, the question will be simple: can she turn a breakout into a dynasty and become a back‑to‑back PFA Young Player of the Year?