Five coaches have been nominated for the 2026 Women’s Coach of the Year award at the Ballon d’Or, with Jonatan Giráldez, Andrée Jeglertz, Nils Nielsen, Pere Romeu and Elena Sadiku making the shortlist.
There are major achievements throughout the five nominations. Romeu led Barcelona to four trophies including the Women’s Champions League, Jeglertz delivered an English domestic double with Manchester City and Giráldez won three trophies with OL Lyonnes.
But coaching awards do not have to be decided purely by who collected the most silverware. For Women’s Football Blog, one achievement stands out: Elena Sadiku’s work with BK Häcken.
Women’s Coach of the Year 2026 nominees
Jonatan Giráldez – OL Lyonnes
Jonatan Giráldez enjoyed a trophy-filled season with OL Lyonnes, winning the French Championship, French Cup and French League Cup. Lyon also reached the Women’s Champions League final, where they were beaten by Barcelona.
It was another successful season for one of the biggest clubs in women’s football, and Giráldez’s domestic treble comfortably earns him a place among the nominees.
Trophies: French Championship, French Cup, French League Cup
Andrée Jeglertz – Manchester City
Andrée Jeglertz delivered an excellent domestic season with Manchester City. City won the WSL and FA Cup, completing an English double and returning to the top of women’s football in England.
As discussed in our Club of the Year assessment, City did not have Women’s Champions League football alongside their domestic commitments. That provides some context when comparing their season with coaches competing on several fronts in Europe.
Nevertheless, winning both major domestic trophies makes Jeglertz a serious candidate.
Trophies: WSL, FA Cup
Nils Nielsen – Japan
Nils Nielsen presents a completely different case from the four club coaches. The Danish coach led Japan to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup title, adding another major international trophy to the country’s history.
International management presents different challenges to club football, with considerably less time available to work with players and prepare a team.
Winning a continental championship therefore deserves considerable recognition, and Nielsen’s success with Japan gives him a strong case for the award.
Trophy: AFC Women’s Asian Cup
Pere Romeu – FC Barcelona
If this award were decided by trophies alone, Pere Romeu would be extremely difficult to overlook.
Barcelona won Liga F, the Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup before completing their season by winning the Women’s Champions League.
Romeu therefore led Barcelona to four major trophies and restored the club to the top of European football after they had lost the previous season’s Champions League final. That is an exceptional coaching record.
Barcelona are also an exceptional football team, however. Romeu works with one of the deepest and most talented squads in the women’s game and within a structure built to compete for every available trophy.
That does not diminish what he achieved. It simply means Women’s Football Blog does not believe the biggest trophy collection automatically represents the most impressive individual coaching achievement.
Trophies: Champions League, Liga F, Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup
Elena Sadiku – BK Häcken
Elena Sadiku’s achievement with BK Häcken is different. Sadiku left Celtic to take charge of Häcken in December 2025, inheriting the Swedish champions and beginning a new challenge in her home country.
Her impact was immediate. Sadiku led Häcken to victory in the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, delivering the club’s first international trophy.
It was a historic achievement for a club operating without the resources and global profile available to many of Europe’s traditional powers. Häcken also won the Swedish Championship, giving Sadiku two significant trophies and establishing her among Europe’s leading coaches.
Her success becomes even more impressive when considering how quickly she was able to influence the team after taking charge.
Trophies: UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, Swedish Championship
Who gets Women’s Football Blog’s vote?
Pere Romeu has the strongest trophy collection. Four trophies, including the Women’s Champions League, make his Barcelona season extremely difficult to argue against. Jonatan Giráldez and Andrée Jeglertz also delivered major domestic success, while Nils Nielsen deserves recognition for taking Japan to the Asian Cup title.
But Women’s Football Blog’s vote goes to Elena Sadiku.
Coach of the Year should not simply be another way of rewarding the team that won the most trophies. What a coach achieves relative to the circumstances, resources and expectations surrounding their team matters too.
Sadiku arrived at Häcken and made an immediate impact, leading the club to its first international trophy by winning the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup while also delivering domestic success.
Barcelona winning major trophies is expected. Häcken becoming European champions is not. That distinction gives Sadiku the edge for us.
Women’s Football Blog’s Women’s Coach of the Year 2026 vote: Elena Sadiku.
Source: Ballon d’Or – Women’s Coach of the Year 2026 nominees
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