The 2026 Ballon d'Or will be awarded this Monday, October 26, 2026 at the London Palladium in London. For the first time, the ceremony is leaving the Théâtre du Châtelet, in Paris's 1st arrondissement, where it had been held since 2019.
Parisians nevertheless have good reason to follow the ceremony. PSG, based at the Parc des Princes in the 16th arrondissement, has ten players among the 30 nominees, and Ousmane Dembélé is defending his title. Ahead of the verdict, expected around 11 p.m., we take a look at the favorites and at the often little-known process used to choose the winner.
The race looks particularly open this year. According to Eurosport, four names are leading contenders:
Kane has the strongest record on paper, with a Bundesliga title at Bayern Munich and a third-place finish at the World Cup with England. Lamine Yamal, who came second last year, can point to the World Cup he won with Spain. Mbappé left his mark on the tournament despite France’s elimination in the semi-finals, while Dembélé won a second consecutive Champions League title with Paris.
A few outsiders could still shake things up, such as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Rodri or Lionel Messi, an eight-time winner. The name is revealed late in the evening, like the final card in a poker game where no one knows what the other players are holding.
The 30-player shortlist, unveiled on September 8, is drawn up by the editorial staff of France Football, which created the award in 1956, alongside journalists from L'Équipe. Experts affiliated with UEFA, co-organizer of the ceremony since 2024, also take part in drawing up the shortlist.
The Paris contingent is sizeable: Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, João Neves, Nuno Mendes, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz and Ferran Torres. Five French players are in the running, including Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano.
The winner is selected by a jury of 100 journalists, one from each of the 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA rankings. For the women’s Ballon d’Or, the jury comprises 50 journalists. Each juror ranks their ten favorite players, and a points system converts those rankings into points:
The player with the most points wins the trophy. In the event of a tie, the number of first-place votes decides the winner, followed by the number of second-place votes, and so on. Voting closed on September 28, so the result has already been sealed in an envelope.
France Football has established three criteria, in order of importance. First, individual performances and how decisive they are. Next, team performances and titles won. Finally, the player’s class and sportsmanship.
Only the season that has just ended counts: from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, the day of the World Cup final. The North American World Cup therefore carries considerable weight, as do the major club competitions. This calendar explains why the trophy will be presented in the fall rather than at the end of the calendar year.
The rankings from 30th to 11th place will be revealed from 5 p.m. The official ceremony begins at 9 p.m., hosted by Thierry Henry and journalist Kate Scott, with the winner expected to be announced around 11 p.m. The event will be broadcast free-to-air on La chaîne L'Équipe, as explained in our article on the ceremony’s time and channel.
A slight complication for Parisian fans: the ceremony coincides with the PSG vs. Lyon match, which kicks off at 8:30 p.m. on Ligue 1+. If you're heading to the stadium, check out the metro and RER routes to the Parc des Princes. The full list of awards presented that evening, from the Women's Ballon d'Or to the Kopa Trophy, will be published on the official Ballon d'Or website.
Dates and Opening Time
On October 26, 2026
From 09:00 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.
Official website
ballondor.com
