Former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has been named as one of the winners of the PFA Merit Award.
The United States head coach will receive the prize at a gala dinner in Manchester on Tuesday evening.
Also receiving the PFA Merit Award will be former men’s England boss Gareth Southgate, who took the Three Lions to consecutive Euros finals in 2020 and 2024.
Why the PFA has decided to give Emma Hayes the PFA Merit award
Hayes has received the PFA Merit Award for her contributions to women’s football.
The manager enjoyed great success at Chelsea, winning seven Women’s Super League titles – five of which were in succession.
She also won five FA Cups and two League Cups during her time in charge of the Blues.
Hayes left Chelsea in 2024 to become the manager of the United States. Her USA side went on to win gold at the Paris Olympics that summer.
“Beyond on-pitch success, it is Hayes’ approach to leadership and relentless innovation that has paved the way for progress in women’s sport,” the PFA said.
Hayes is not the first personality from the world of women’s football to receive the award.
🏆 Emma Hayes OBE will be the recipient of the PFA Merit Award at this evening's #PFAawards.
Recognition for her contributions to women's football over the course of an illustrious career in England.
Congratulations, @emmahayes1 👏 pic.twitter.com/2hF7iQI1pu
— PFA (@PFA) August 19, 2025
Past winners of the PFA Merit Award
Fara Williams is one of the most recent recipients of the PFA Merit Award, taking the prize in 2024.
She also received the award for her contributions to women’s football after making 172 appearances for England.
Williams also won two WSL titles as part of the successful Liverpool team in the first-half of the 2010s.
Jill Scott won the PFA Merit Award in 2023, one year after helping the Lionesses win Euro 2022.
Hope Powell won the award in 2022, which was the first year that the men’s and women’s Merit Awards were separated.
Steph Houghton was the first woman to win the PFA Merit Award in 2019.
Other awards to be handed out at PFA Gala
The PFA Women’s Players’ Player and Young Player of the Year awards are also to be handed out on Tuesday.
The main award is expected to be won by one of Arsenal duo Mariona Caldentey or Alessia Russo.
Other players nominated for the Players’ Player award are Chelsea’s Erin Cuthbert, Manchester City duo Mary Fowler and Yui Hasegawa and Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
World record signing Olivia Smith is one of the main contenders for the Young Player of the Year award. However, her world record fee of £1m could be taken by Mexican international Lizbeth Ovalle who is closing in on a £1.5m move to Orlando Pride.
Other players in the running are Chelsea trio Aggie Beever-Jones, Wieke Kaptein and Maika Hamano, Manchester United’s Grace Clinton and Manchester City star Fowler.
