In sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. Initially used in professional sports, the term is now also commonly used in amateur sports, as well as in other completely unrelated fields of endeavor such as business and music awards. A similar award in some sports, such as soccer, is man of the match. The term Most Valuable Player is most often used in the United States.
Because of the proliferation of women's team sports, eg. women's football (soccer), the term Man of the Match is now seen as inappropriate, and is gradually being replaced by MVP.
Specific North American examples include (first regular season, then playoffs):
One award is commonly referred to as an "MVP" award, despite the fact that its official name does not match the "MVP" initialism:
In the Australian Football League, the AFL Players Association awards a "Most Valuable Player" award now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy, voted by peers and considered by many observers of the game to be more indicative of the Best and Fairest player than the Brownlow Medal. In the Canadian Football League they also have the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award (regular season) and the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player (playoffs). The Philippine Basketball Association also awards its own Most Valuable Award.
