Rory McIlroy has won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, ahead of runner-up Ellie Kildunne and Lando Norris.
The six-athlete shortlist was confirmed a week before tonight’s (December 18) ceremony, which was held in Salford. For the first time, the award’s shortlist was reduced to three names following the first vote, with McIlroy, Norris and Kildunne confirmed as receiving the most amount of votes, ahead of Luke Littler, Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton.
Alongside the main award, the European Ryder Cup team won the Team of the Year trophy, Lioness hero Michelle Agyemang lifted the Young Sports Personality of the Year, and her boss Sarina Wiegman won the Coach of the Year. Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis was crowned the World Sport Star of the Year. While the SPOTY Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
The Helen Rollason Award was awarded to Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, the brave fathers of Elise and Alice, who ran the London Marathon in memory of the two girls and Bebe King, who were tragically murdered at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last year.
Masters champion McIlroy was the bookies’ favourite to land the award after his record-breaking Masters win in April to complete a career Grand Slam. The Northern Irishman also played a crucial role in Team Europe retaining the Ryder Cup on US soil in September.
In a golden year for the Red Roses, which saw them nominated for the SPOTY Team of the Year Award, Kildunne spearheaded England to the World Cup. The 26-year-old was also crowned the World Rugby Player of the Year.
(Image: Getty Images)
Newly crowned Formula 1 world champion Norris climbed to second favourite after he became the first Briton to win the World Drivers Championship since Lewis Hamilton in 2020. The McLaren star held his nerve in Abu Dhabi to beat Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri to the title.
Despite becoming the world’s youngest world champion at Ally Pally, defeating Michael van Gerwen at the age of 17 years and 347 days, Littler was an outsider for the award. ‘The Nuke’ has earned the world No.1 ranking after winning five other majors in 2025.
Lionesses hero Kelly has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround after beginning the year frozen out at Manchester City. The 27-year-old has since become a Champions League winner with Arsenal before scoring the decisive penalty to defend England’s European crown against Spain.
England’s women footballers have enjoyed a good time of it in recent years at SPOTY, with Beth Mead and Mary Earps winning the award in the past three years. Fellow Lioness Hampton was also nominated for her penalty heroics.