Sports Personality of the Year shortlist announced

The nominees are footballer Hannah Hampton, footballer Chloe Kelly, rugby union player Ellie Kildunne, darts player Luke Littler, golfer Rory McIlroy, and Formula One driver Lando Norris.

Voting will take place during the live show on Thursday, 18 December on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The programme, hosted by Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, and Clare Balding, will be broadcast live from MediaCityUK in Salford and will celebrate 12 months of amazing sporting action.

"This year has been a rollercoaster for sport, led by athletes whose achievements will go down in the history books," said BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski.

"Each one has delivered moments of pure brilliance that have defined 2025. It's been amazing to watch, and I can't wait to see who the country chooses as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025."

The public will vote for the main award on the night, with full details announced during the programme. The Team of the Year award will also be decided by a public vote, with candidates set to be announced on 15 December.

Other awards to be presented on the night include Young Sports Personality of the Year, Coach of the Year, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Helen Rollason Award. The World Sport Star Award, which is open to a public vote, will also be presented.

Sports Personality of the Year 2025 Contenders

Hannah Hampton Age: 25 | Sport: Football

Hampton's amazing 2025 culminated in her winning the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best female goalkeeper at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. England won the European Championship final following her heroics in saving two spot-kicks in a penalty shootout, earning her the Player of the Match award. This followed a string of superb performances, including two more shootout saves in the quarter-finals, which saw her named in the Team of the Tournament. She was also instrumental in Chelsea's domestic treble and was the joint winner of the WSL's Golden Glove award with 13 clean sheets in 22 games.

Chloe Kelly Age: 27 | Sport: Football

In January, Kelly faced uncertainty regarding her future for both club and country. By the summer, she was a European Championship and Champions League winner. The hero of the Euro 2022 final proved she is still England's player for the big moments by scoring the decisive penalty as the Lionesses retained the trophy. Despite not starting a match, her contributions were significant, including another successful shootout conversion and a last-gasp winner in the semi-final. She was also instrumental in Arsenal's Champions League triumph and finished fifth in the Women's Ballon d'Or polling.

Ellie Kildunne Age: 26 | Sport: Rugby Union

Kildunne scored five tries as she played a crucial role in England's victory at the Women's Rugby World Cup on home soil. The full-back returned with gusto for the semi-final against France after missing the quarter-final due to concussion. She delighted the 80,000 fans in the final against Canada by scoring a memorable solo try. She also scored four times as England claimed another Grand Slam to retain their Six Nations crown earlier in the year. At club level, she scored 14 tries for Harlequins during the 2024-25 season.

Luke Littler Age: 18 | Sport: Darts

Littler's 2025 began in spectacular style as he became the youngest darts world champion in history at the age of 17. His resounding victory at the World Matchplay made him only the fifth player to win the PDC Triple Crown (World Championship, Premier League, and World Matchplay). He wasn't done there; his victory in November's Grand Slam of Darts boosted him to the top of the world rankings for the first time. At 18, he is the youngest man to achieve this, smashing the previous record set by a 24-year-old Michael van Gerwen.

Rory McIlroy Age: 36 | Sport: Golf

After years of frustration and near misses, McIlroy's win at the Masters made him only the sixth man in history to complete the career Grand Slam of all four major championships. His thrilling play-off victory at Augusta was his first major title since 2014. He also led Europe to victory in the United States for the first time since 2012, shrugging off a hostile crowd to score three-and-a-half points. Further victories followed at the Players Championship, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the Irish Open, before he capped off a stellar year with his seventh Race to Dubai title.

Lando Norris Age: 26 | Sport: Formula 1

In 2025, Norris became the 11th Briton to win the Formula 1 Drivers' Championship, claiming victory in the closest season finish in 15 years. After 15 races, the McLaren driver was 34 points behind teammate Oscar Piastri, but a string of results—including back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil—pushed him to the top. The season came to a dramatic conclusion at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Norris, Piastri, and four-time champion Max Verstappen all in contention. Norris held his nerve to win McLaren's first Drivers' Championship since 2008, finishing the season just two points ahead of Verstappen.