The stage is set for one of the most fiercely contested BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in recent memory. The 2025 shortlist is a dazzling array of British sporting excellence, featuring history-makers from the football pitch, the rugby field, the darts oche, the golf course, and the Formula 1 grid. Each nominee has a compelling case for the public's vote.
Footballing Heroines Lead the Charge
The euphoria of England's victorious Euro 2025 campaign, secured away from home for the first time by a senior England side, provides a powerful narrative. Two Lionesses are nominated for their pivotal roles in that triumph.
Hannah Hampton emerged as the tournament's defining goalkeeper. Her heroics were the foundation of the Lionesses' success. She produced a crucial double-save against Italy in the semi-final and was the shootout heroine in both the quarter-final against Sweden and the final against Spain, where she denied the world's best player, Aitana Bonmatí. This followed a domestic season where she helped Chelsea win a treble unbeaten and kept 13 clean sheets to share the WSL Golden Glove. Her achievements are all the more remarkable given she was born with a serious eye condition affecting her depth perception.
Chloe Kelly delivered the ultimate moment of glory, slotting home the winning penalty in the final for the second Euros in a row. Her journey to that point was tumultuous, having contemplated quitting football after being frozen out at Manchester City before a transformative loan move to Arsenal, where she contributed to their historic Champions League win. Her swagger and iconic quote – "thank you to everyone that wrote me off" – cemented her status as a big-game player.
World Champions from Rugby, Darts and F1
Beyond football, other world champions staked their claim. Ellie Kildunne became the first women's rugby player nominated for SPOTY after a sparkling year with the World Cup-winning Red Roses. The electric full-back scored nine tries across the Six Nations and World Cup, with her crowd-igniting runs and iconic cowboy hat celebration capturing the public's imagination.
In darts, Luke Littler compiled a year of staggering dominance, becoming world champion, world number one, and claiming almost every major title. His impact has transformed the sport's profile and prize money. However, his best chance may come in a future year, as his crowning world title was won 11 months before the vote.
Lando Norris etched his name into British motorsport history by becoming the nation's 11th Formula 1 world champion. In a tense season finale, he held off Max Verstappen by just two points. He did so with characteristic calm, maintaining a cordial relationship with teammate Oscar Piastri and winning the title "his way" without team orders, endearing him to fans.
The Grand Slam Completion and the Public Vote
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy delivered what many consider the moment of the sporting year by winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. The dramatic victory at Augusta confirmed him as the UK's finest ever golfer and was the centrepiece of a magnificent year that also included a pivotal role in Europe's Ryder Cup win.
The public now faces a difficult choice. Does the award go to a pivotal figure from a team triumph that captivated the nation, like Hampton or Kelly? Or does it honour individual, year-long world dominance from the likes of Littler, Norris, or McIlroy? Kildunne's groundbreaking nomination as a women's rugby pioneer also carries significant weight. The result will reveal what the British sporting public values most in its heroes.
