The Ballon d’Or will enter its 70th anniversary when some of the best footballers (men and women) will fight out for one of the prestigious awards in football on Tuesday (October 27).
Conceptualised in 1956, the Ballon d’Or recognises the best men’s and women’s foootballer in the world along with several other prizes.
While France Football remain the organisers of the Ballon d’Or award and voting, the ceremony is co-organised in association with European football’s governing body, UEFA. The Ballon d’Or was initially reserved for the best men’s player from Europe, but it was later expanded to non-European players in 1995 and became global award in 2007.
The women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg being the inaugural winner.
Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony – Date, time, location
The Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony will be held on October 26, at the London’s Palladium Theatre. This is the first time, a Ballon d’Or ceremony is being held in London, rather than in Paris. According to UEFA, the change in location is a tribute to former England footballer Stanley Matthews, who win the inaugural award in 1956.
The Ballon d’Or 2026 award ceremony starts at 8:00 PM GMT, which is 1:30 AM IST (October 27, Tuesday). A total of 13 awards will be given out, including the Kopa, Yashin, Gerd Muller and Johan Cruyff trophies.
Top 10 frontrunners for Ballon d’Or 2026
- Harry Kane: The Englishman is among the bookies’ favourite. The 33-year-old scored 73 goals for club and country in the 2025-26 season, the second-best mark in history after Lionel Messi’s 82 in 2010-11. Currently playing for Bayern Munich, Kane topped the chart in Europe’s top overall club goalscorer’s list for 2025-26. In the FIFA World Cup 2026, Kane finished fifth in goal-scoring charts as England won the bronze medal.
- Lamine Yamal: Having won the Kopa Trophy for the best player U-21 player twice (2024 and 2025), Spain’s Lamine Yamal is in line for the men’s award and also the Kopa trophy. The 19-year-old played a key role in Spain’s FIFA World Cup 2026 triumph, and was also a part of Barcelona’s La Liga and Spanish Super Cup-winning season.
- Kylian Mbappe: Despite France’s semifinal exit, Kylian Mbappe pipped Lionel Messi to take take the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot with 10 goals – thus becoming the tournament’s all-time top goal-scorer. He also scored 42 goals for Real Madrid across all competitions in 2025-26.
- Lionel Messi: Fresh from winning the Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award, eight-time winner Lionel Messi is once again in the mix, after leading Argentina to the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. In the summit clash, Argentina lost to Spain. For Messi, the legendary footballer scored eight goals in the competition, just two shy of Mbappe in the list. For Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), Messi scored 29 goals in 32 appearances helping Inter Miami to their current second-place position in 2026.
- Rodri: Despite missing most of the past two seaons due to injury, Manchester City’s Rodri finds himself in the nomination list for leading Spain to their second World Cup win. Rodri was also named the best player of FIFA World Cup 2026.
- Erling Haaland: The Norwegian was Premier League’s top scorer in 2025-26 season with 27 goals and netted 38 across all competitions. The Manchester City star also became the fastest to reach 50 Champions League goals, in just 49 games. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Haaland took Norway to their best finish (quarterfinals), scoring seven goals.
- Jude Bellingham: Although Jude Bellingham could contribute only 13 goals for Real Madrid due to injuries, the Englishman peaked just in time in 2026 to be in the mix. At the 2026 World Cup, Bellingham scored seven goals – first by an England midfielder and finished as the third-highest goalscorer of the tournament.
- Pau Cubarsi: The Barcelona star is a favourite to win the Golden Boy award – given to the best young male player. The Spanish footballer, who finihed runner-up in 2024, netted 22 goals in 36 matches last season, and also played a crucial role in national team’s 2026 World Cup triumph.
- Michel Olise: The Frenchman has established himself as one of the best attackers in the world. Although the Bayern Munich footballer didn’t had the best of the seasons, he is certainly in the discussions.
- Ousmane Dembele: Had France won the World Cup in 2026, Ousmane Dembele would have been considered one of the favourites to win a second successive Ballon d’Or, after having already won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain. Dembele ended the season as PSG’s top-scorer and also won the Champions League boot.