Who will win BBC Sports Personality of the Year award 2025?

Tonight is the night. The BBC Sports Personality of the Year will be named this evening, with six homegrown stars vying for the 2025 crown.

It has been a phenomenal year for British sport and all six of the nominees would be deserving winners were they named as the successor to 800m runner Keely Hodgkinson, who added the prestigious award to her Paris 2024 gold last year.

Criteria include personal and team sporting achievements over the past year, plus their impact across the nation – but, contrary to popular belief, the award has nothing to do with an individual's personality.

It is, of course, down to the public to decide. But who will be crowned BBC SPOTY for 2025? RadioTimes.com outlines why each of the nominees could finish the evening on top.

Who will win BBC Sports Personality of the Year award 2025?

Rory McIlroy

If he doesn't win it this year, he never will. Rory McIlroy admitted that fact himself recently after revealing that he would be attending this year's ceremony to cap off a remarkable 12 months and will arrive this evening as the bookies' favourite.

McIlroy wrote his name among the golfing immortals by finally winning The Masters to become one of just four players to complete the Grand Slam, winning all four of the sport's majors, and the first European to do so.

The Northern Irishman's final round at Augusta was absolute box office and his emotional outpouring on the 18th green was unforgettable.

McIlroy's heroics continued at the Ryder Cup, where he was a lightning rod for abuse from the American crowds but showed his mettle, playing a key role in a famous away victory for Team Europe, and he then clinched a seventh Race to Dubai title by finishing top of the DP World Tour season-long standings for 2025.

Chloe Kelly

What a year it has been for Chloe Kelly, who began it out of favour at Man City and finishes as one of the bookies' favourites for SPOTY.

"A year of learnings, a year of success, and a year of smiles," was Kelly's own reflection on a remarkable 2025 in an interview with RadioTimes.com.

The 27-year-old's move to Arsenal proved a roaring success as she helped Renee Slegers's side win the Champions League but it is her exploits at Euro 2025 that have taken her to the hearts of the nation.

Kelly proved England's catalyst time and time again – coming off the bench to inspire the Lionesses to a remarkable comeback against Sweden, bagging the extra-time winner against Italy and then, with ice running through her veins, scoring the winning penalty in the final against Spain.

SPOTY is not handed out on personality, but she has it in droves.

Hannah Hampton

England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton played a starring role for club and country in 2025. Her brilliance between the sticks was vital as Chelsea marched to a domestic treble – going unbeaten in the Women's Super League while getting their hands on the FA Cup and League Cup as well.

But the best was yet to come for Hampton, who was picked over much-loved shot-stopper Mary Earps ahead of Euro 2025 and repaid Sarina Wiegman's faith in droves.

It was a tournament that transfixed the nation and the 25-year-old's saves were vital in ensuring the Lionesses defended their European crown. Hampton was the hero in not one but two penalty shoot-outs, including denying Spain twice from the spot in the final.

She's already been justly rewarded with the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award and Ballon d'Or Yashin Trophy. Only time will tell if she can beat out Kelly and the rest of the nominees to be named SPOTY as well but she's an outsider with the bookies as things stand.

Ellie Kildunne

In a dominant year for the Red Roses, Ellie Kildunne was the star.

The full-back showcased her searing pace, quick feet and lethal finishing as England stormed to a Six Nations triumph and then helped to deliver the Women's Rugby World Cup on home turf.

A head injury put her out of action for part of the tournament but Kildunne returned to steer the hosts past France in the semi-final and then beat Canada in the final – scoring tries in both matches.

Despite her success, the 26-year-old could barely believe that she'd been nominated when her agent told her. Victory on Thursday, which the bookies believe is unlikely, would make her the first female rugby player to win and only her sport's second winner after Jonny Wilkinson in 2003 but as she told RadioTimes.com recently, the nomination is "big enough anyway".

She explained: "Being nominated and to be in a space where, for years, we've been told that no one's going to watch it and no one's bothered about women playing rugby, to now standing up and saying, well, actually, I've got a nomination for something as big as SPOTY.

"It's something that I'm hugely proud of and it puts women's rugby on a platform."

Luke Littler

Luke Littler has continued his ascent from rising star to household name.

'The Nuke' became the youngest player to win the World Championship in January and has added the World Matchplay, World Grand Prix, and UK Open titles among a host of others since.

It's not just about the trophies; the teenage sensation is a pure entertainer, producing high-octane moments almost every time he steps up to the oche, and has transcended darts.

Littler looks like an outside bet for the award this year but the 18-year-old is a shoo-in to win it in the future.

Lando Norris

Lando Norris has become the first British winner of the F1 Drivers' Championship since Lewis Hamilton.

Norris enjoyed a hugely impressive season, holding off McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri and a late surge from Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win his first world championship.

Among his race wins was a British Grand Prix victory at Silverstone and the 25-year-old is now eyeing the SPOTY trophy as well, while the bookies have him in the top three alongside McIlroy and Kelly.

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