Thirty-three finalists for the prestigious 2026 SP Sports Awards (SPSA) were officially announced yesterday in Port Moresby, marking a significant milestone in the lead-up to the country’s most celebrated sporting events.
Chairman of the SP Sports Awards Selection Panel Mr. Warwick Vele, highlighted the strong response during the nomination process as he announced the finalists.
“This year, we recorded an impressive level of interest and participation in the nomination process.”
“A total of 261 nominations were received across all categories, with 181 submitted online and 81 in hard copy.”
“The growth in online submissions reflects increased public awareness of the SP Sports Awards and greater confidence in the online nomination process.”
“This increase shows that the SP Sports Awards continue to be recognised as a trusted and meaningful platform for celebrating sporting excellence in Papua New Guinea.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Vele stated that Coca ‑Cola Europacific Partners PNG Junior Female Athlete of the Year category attracted the highest number of nominations this year.
“A total of 30 nominations were received in this category, 15 online and 15 in hard copy, highlighting both the depth of emerging talent and the high level of competition among our junior female athletes during 2025.”
“These nominations represented a wide range of sporting codes, including AFL, tennis, darts, swimming, and weightlifting, to name just a few.”
“This is a clear indication of the growing diversity, strength, and growth of women’s sport in Papua New Guinea, particularly at development levels.”
Mr. Vele emphasized that the vetting and selection process was conducted with the highest level of transparency and integrity.
“The process is one we take very seriously. Each eligible nomination was carefully reviewed and discussed in detail, guided by strict criteria set for each award category to ensure a fair and transparent process.”
“To ensure fairness, transparency, and integrity, the final vetting of all finalists was independently conducted by KPMG PNG.”
