Ballon d'Or 2026: London Hosts Historic Ceremony as Kane and Yamal Vie for Top Football Honour

The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be revealed on Monday night at a spectacular ceremony taking place in London. This marks the 70th edition of the prestigious award and is the first time the event will be held outside of France, with England chosen as the host nation in a special tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural winner in 1956. The choice of London could prove particularly fitting, with England's own Harry Kane considered among the leading contenders for the men's award.

Kane faces formidable competition from Spanish prodigy Lamine Yamal, his Bayern Munich teammate Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe, and a host of other Paris Saint-Germain players. The French and European champions boast an impressive ten nominees on the 30-man shortlist. Argentine legend Lionel Messi is also in contention following a remarkable World Cup performance, though he is seen as an outsider given his current club football in the US with Inter Miami. Notably, his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo did not make the list.

What is the Ballon d'Or?

The Ballon d'Or is widely recognized as the ultimate accolade for the world's best footballer, representing the highest individual achievement in the sport. Currently a collaborative effort between Uefa, France Football, and L'Equipe, the 2026 awards will celebrate the outstanding players, coaches, and clubs from the past season, alongside recognizing the top scorer, best goalkeeper, brightest young talent, and a humanitarian award recipient.

First presented by France Football in 1956, the Ballon d'Or initially aimed to honor the world's premier male player. Over time, its scope has broadened significantly, evolving into football's equivalent of the Oscars, now including accolades for female players, coaches, and teams.

The award was first claimed by Englishman Stanley Matthews in 1956, narrowly ahead of Real Madrid icon Alfredo Di Stefano, who secured the award the following year. Lionel Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d'Or wins with eight, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's five.

The criteria for the award have shifted, now focusing on the previous season's performance rather than the calendar year. This season's evaluation period runs from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, concluding after the summer's World Cup final.

How is the Ballon d'Or decided?

Despite the current joint partnership, France Football, the award's originator, maintains its established voting system. The decision hinges on three primary factors:

1. Individual performances, characterized by their decisive and impressive nature.
2. Team performances and achievements.
3. Overall class and fair play.

An international jury comprising journalists, with one representative from each country within the top 100 of the latest Fifa rankings for men and the top 50 for women, casts the votes. Each juror selects ten players in order of preference from a list of 30 compiled by the editorial teams of France Football and L'Equipe. The player accumulating the most points receives the Ballon d'Or. Tie-breakers are determined by the number of first-place votes, followed by second-place votes, and so on.

When is the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony?

The 70th Ballon d'Or awards ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 26, at the prestigious London Palladium Theatre. The event is set to commence at 8:00 PM local time (11:00 PM UAE). The evening will be hosted by sports broadcasters Kate Scott and football legend Thierry Henry.

Who is nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or?

Men's Nominees: Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Ferran Torres (all PSG), Luis Diaz, Harry Kane, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano (all Bayern Munich), Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior (all Real Madrid), Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Rodri (all Barcelona), Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, William Saliba (all Arsenal), Erling Haaland (Man City), Bruno Fernandes (Man United), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Sadio Mane (Al Nassr), Julian Quinones (Al Qadsiah), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).

Women's Nominees: Esmee Brugts, Cata Coll, Caroline Graham Hansen, Patri Guijarro, Ewa Pajor, Claudia Pina (all Barcelona), Kerstin Casparij, Alex Greenwood, Yui Hasegawa, Vivianne Miedema, Khadija Shaw (all Man City), Selma Bacha, Melchie Dumornay, Caroline Weir, Wendie Renard (all OL Lyonnes), Klara Buhl, Pernille Harder, Momoko Tanikawa (all Bayern Munich), Mariona Caldente, Alessia Russo (both Arsenal), Melvine Malard, Manaka Matsukubo (both Chelsea), Temwa Chawinga, Lorena (both Kansas City), Mapi Leon, Alexia Putellas (both London City Lionesses), Scarlett Camberos (Club America), Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC), Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride), Tessa Wullaert (Como).

Lev Yashin Award (Goalkeepers): Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Joan Garcia (Barcelona), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Emiliano Martinez (Chelsea), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli), David Raya (Arsenal), Matvey Safonov (PSG), Unai Simon (Athletic Club), Vozinha (Colo-Colo).

Men's Coach of the Year: Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Unai Emery (Aston Villa), Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich), Luis Enrique (PSG).

Women's Coach of the Year: Jonatan Giraldez (OL Lyonnes), Andree Jeglertz (Manchester City), Nils Nielsen (Japan – now unattached), Pere Romeu (Barcelona), Elena Sadiku (BK Hacken).

Men's Club of the Year: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bodo/Glimt, Flamengo, PSG.

Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Club America, Manchester City, OL Lyonnes.

How to watch the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in the UAE:

The entire ceremony can be streamed live and free worldwide via DAZN or directly through the official Ballon d'Or website. Additionally, the event will be broadcast on beIN Sports.