FIFA Allowing Public To Vote On Annual Player Awards

FIFA announced it will "allow the public to vote in a rebranded version of its player of the year of the award," according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. The annual ceremony in Zurich, which until last year was jointly organized with France Football and known as the Ballon d'Or, would be renamed "The Best FIFA Football Awards" following a split with the French magazine. Under the new system, half the votes would belong to the players and coaches of the world's 211 national teams and half to the public, "who will take part via an online ballot, and selected media representatives." FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, "This event will be about football and its most passionate participants -- players, coaches and fans." Eight awards will be "handed out altogether, including the best coach, best women's player and women's coach, the fair play award and fan award" (REUTERS, 10/31).