A host of sportspeople have been included in the New Year’s Honours List for 2026, including Manchester City and Manchester United WSL stars
A total of 46 sportspeople have been recognised in the New Year’s Honours List for 2026. That includes five members of the England Lionesses, who have been included for their services to football.
Arsenal and England captain Leah Williamson is joined by Manchester City’s Alex Greenwood, Manchester United’s Ella Toone, Bayern Munich’s Georgia Stanway and Chelsea’s Keira Walsh. Manager Sarina Wiegman has also been awarded an honorary damehood after sealing a second European Championship triumph in a row by beating Spain on penalties in July’s final.
A number of other high profile sporting figures have been honoured too, including Match of the Day presenter Gabby Logan. Football commentator Clive Tyldesley and former long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe also feature on the list.
KNIGHTHOOD
Christopher Dean, OBE, Olympic gold medallist, services to ice skating and to voluntary service, Huddersfield.
DAMEHOOD
Jayne Torvill, OBE, Olympic gold medallist, services to ice skating and to voluntary service, Heathfield, East Sussex.
Sarina Wiegman (honorary damehood), England women head coach, for services to football.
COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (CBE)
Daniel Levy, former Tottenham executive chairman, for services to charity and the community of Tottenham, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.
Leah Williamson, England captain and double women’s European Championship winner, for services to football, St Albans, Hertfordshire.
Fergus McCann, former Celtic chief executive, businessman and philanthropist, for services to the economy and charity, Florida.
OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (OBE)
Derek Brewer, lately England and Wales Cricket Board adviser, for services to cricket, Loughborough, Leicestershire.
Ann Budge, former Hearts chair, for services to sport and the community in Midlothian, Edinburgh.
Jim Craig, former Celtic defender and member of the European Cup winning Lisbon Lions side of 1967, for services to Scottish football and charity, Perth and Kinross.
Gabby Logan, MBE, broadcaster, for services to broadcasting and to charity, Buckinghamshire.
John Mitchell, England women’s rugby head coach, for services to rugby union, Woking, Surrey.
Barry O’Brien, former England and Wales Cricket Board interim chair and former Glamorgan chair, for services to law, to cricket and to charity, London.
Marlie Packer, double women’s Rugby World Cup winner with England, for services to rugby union, Camberley, Surrey.
Sarah-Jane Perry, England and Great Britain squash player, grassroots champion and mentor, for services to squash, Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
Stuart Pringle, Silverstone circuit chief executive officer, for services to motorsport, Towcester, Northamptonshire.
Paula Radcliffe, MBE, broadcaster and athlete, for services to sport, abroad.
Zoe Stratford (nee Aldcroft), England women’s rugby captain and 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup winner, for services to rugby union, Gloucester.
Clive Tyldesley, football commentator, for services to broadcasting and to charity, Reading.
Gill Whitehead, 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup chair, for services to women’s rugby, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (MBE)
Dr Frances Akor, UK anti-doping non-executive director, for services to sport, London.
Susan Briegal, lately World Netball chief executive officer and North West Rowing Council chair, for services to sport, Warrington.
Daniel Costello, Spartan Football Club chair, for services to community, sport and youth development, Edinburgh.
Kerry Davis, former England Women footballer, for services to football and diversity in sport, Lichfield, Staffordshire.
Simone Fisher, Professional Footballers’ Association director of equality, diversity and inclusion, for services to sport, Sunbury-on-Thames.
Alex Greenwood, England footballer and double women’s European Championship winner, for services to football, Wilmslow, Cheshire.
Isa Guha, broadcaster and former England cricketer, Take Her Lead founder and chair, for services to inclusivity and cricket, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
Megan Jones, England women’s rugby player and 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup winner, for services to rugby union, London.
Tara Jones, rugby league referee, services to rugby league, St Helens.
Sadia Kabeya, England women’s rugby player and 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup winner, for services to rugby union, London.
James Keothavong, tennis umpire, services to tennis and tennis umpiring, Bedford.
Louise Kingsley, Great Britain rowing team director of performance, services to sport, Wallingford, Oxfordshire.
Ellie Kildunne, England women’s rugby player and 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup winner, for services to rugby union, Reading.
David Laing, lately Borders Disability Sports Group chair, for services to sport, Roxburgh.
Julia Lee, lately referee and advocate for women’s rugby league, for services to rugby league, Huddersfield.
Sarah Massey, 2025 women’s Rugby World Cup managing director, for services to women’s rugby union, Street, Somerset.
Rhys McClenaghan, BEM, artistic gymnastic and pommel horse Olympic champion, services to gymnastics, Newtownards, County Down.
Dr Ritan Mehta, England women’s football head of medical and team team, services to football, London.
David Perks, services to athletics, Carmarthen.
Kambiz Ramzan Ali, services to taekwondo and the community in Harrogate, Harrogate.
Toby Roberts, sport climbing Olympic champion, services to sport climbing, Godalming, Surrey.
Georgia Stanway, England footballer and double women’s European Championship winner, services to football, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Ella Toone, England footballer and double women’s European Championship winner, services to football, Manchester.
Nigel Travis, BEM, services to boxing and the community in Moss Side, Greater Manchester.
Keira Walsh, England footballer and double women’s European Championship winner, services to football, Rochdale.
Colin Wright, Rushmoor Gymnastics Academy co-founder, Sandhurst, Berkshire.
Marie Wright, Rushmoor Gymnastics Academy co-founder, Sandhurst, Berkshire.
