The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for Monday, 26 October, at the London Palladium, marking the first time the prestigious football awards leave French soil. England’s captain Harry Kane and Spain’s Alexia Putellas headline the shortlist in the men’s and women’s categories respectively, and both are tipped by bookmakers as the leading contenders. The event, which celebrates the best performers of the 2025‑26 season, will begin with a red‑carpet arrival at 18:00 GMT and the awards presentation at 20:00 GMT, co‑hosted by former French striker Thierry Henry and sports journalist Kate Scott.
Organisers say the move to Britain pays tribute to the inaugural 1956 winner, English legend Stanley Matthews, and show the global nature of the award. Since its creation by France Football journalists Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran, the Ballon d’Or has evolved from a Europe‑only prize to a worldwide accolade open to any professional footballer. The men’s trophy, now in its 70th edition, will be decided by an international jury of 100 journalists, one from each of the top‑100 FIFA‑ranked nations, while the women’s award will be voted on by 50 journalists from the top‑50 nations.
The voting process follows a points‑based system. Each juror selects ten players from a 30‑player shortlist, ranking them from first to tenth. The top choice receives 15 points, the second 12, then 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point for the remaining places. The compiled scores, tallied by France Football’s editorial team, L’Équipe staff, a former jury member and UEFA ambassadors Luis Figo and Fabio Capello for the men’s prize, and former women’s player Nadine Kessler for the women’s prize, determine the winner.
In the men’s category, Harry Kane leads the betting market with roughly 70 percent of the share. The 33‑year‑old striker recorded an extraordinary 73 goals across all competitions last season, secured a second European Golden Shoe, and helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga while guiding England to a third‑place finish at the 2026 World Cup. French forward Kylian Mbappé, who claimed the World Cup Golden Boot and set a new all‑time goals record, sits second in the odds, followed by teenage Spanish winger Lamine Yamal, a key figure in Spain’s world‑title‑winning side. The men’s shortlist also includes Lionel Messi, recent Ballon d’Or winners Ousmane Dembele and Rodri, and other notable names such as Argentina’s superstar and Brazil’s emerging talents.
On the women’s side, Alexia Putellas, captain of Spain and former Barcelona star, is the clear favourite. She guided Barcelona to a historic quadruple, Liga F, Women’s Champions League, domestic cup and super cup, and already holds the Ballon d’Or titles from 2021 and 2022. Putellas hopes to equal teammate Aitana Bonmati’s record of three trophies. Other contenders include Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw, who has topped the Women’s Super League scoring charts for three consecutive seasons, Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor, the top scorer in the women’s Champions League, and Lyon’s Melchie Dumornay, who helped her club achieve a domestic treble.
The ceremony will be broadcast live by Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT, with a free livestream on DAZN in most territories. French viewers can watch via L’Équipe TV, while Spanish audiences will see the event on Telefónica channels. The gala will also feature performances by U.S. rapper French Montana and English singer Jorja Smith, adding a musical dimension to the football celebration.
Beyond the main awards, the evening will present a total of 13 trophies, including the Kopa Trophy for the best under‑21 player, the Yashin Trophy for the top goalkeeper, the Gerd Muller Trophy for the best striker, the Johan Cruyff Trophy for the best coach, and the Socrates Award recognising humanitarian and charitable initiatives. The men’s and women’s club of the year will also be honoured, highlighting the collective achievements that underpin individual excellence.
Historically, Argentine maestro Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or wins, including four straight from 2009 to 2012. Cristiano Ronaldo follows with five titles. The most recent winners before this edition were Dembele in 2025 and Rodri in 2024.
As the countdown to the London Palladium event continues, fans worldwide are tuning in to see whether Kane’s prolific season and Putellas’s sustained brilliance will translate into another trophy, or whether a surprise challenger will upset the favourites. The final votes are expected to be announced during the live broadcast, with the results shaping the narrative of football’s elite for the coming year.
Comments