Apart from three-time Laureus winner Usain Bolt and five -time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, the other nominees are tennis No.1 Novak Djokovic and triple Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton. They are joined by first time nominees Stephen Curry, star of NBA's Golden State Warriors, and golf's world No.1 Jordan Spieth.
After a sparkling 2015 in which she won three Grand Slams, US tennis legend Serena Williams is again nominated for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award - her record 10th nomination.
Two sportsmen are nominated in two categories: surfer Mick Fanning (Action and Comeback) and world No.1 golfer Jordan Spieth (Sportsman and Breakthrough).
In addition to Fanning, the Laureus World Comeback of the Year category features some of the biggest names in sport - Rugby Player of the Year Dan Carter, world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, the most decorated Olympian Michael Phelps, Kenya's 800 metres world champion David Rudisha and US ski legend Lindsey Vonn.