Ballon d'Or site accidentally posts Kane, Mbappe & Yamal ‘winner’ articles before ceremony
(Courtesy : Getty)
All three stars are favourites to win the award.
Unrest at the Ballon d’Or 2026 even before the official award ceremony is underway.
Three articles stating Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal as winners of the award were published by mistake on the official Ballon d’Or website. The pieces were published an hour and a half ahead of the event and were soon taken down, but not before being captured by social media users.
The organisers are reportedly in astonishment and have initiated an inquiry into what transpired, said Daily Mail journalist Nathan Salt.
The leaks have hit the prestige of one of international football’s most keenly watched individual awards, which depends on keeping the result secret until the very last minute.
What caused the incident is unclear, and whether it was a publication fault or anything else has not been established. Nor is there any official explanation as to why three separate versions were created, or who had access to them.
Also Read: What time will Ballon d’Or 2026 awards be handed out?
Ballon d’Or site posts winning articles of Kane, Mbappe & Yamal
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The Bayern Munich forward, who netted 73 goals for club and country last term, is among the red-hot favourites to claim the most coveted individual trophy in international football.
An essay titled “Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d’Or” was posted on the official website in the evening. Screenshots of what many saw as evidence of Kane’s coronation as the 2027 recipient of the award went viral on social media.
Fans of English football took to social media to celebrate the news that Kane had apparently grabbed the prize. But their delight was extremely short-lived, as it quickly appeared that the official Ballon d’Or website was also running stories on fellow favourites Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.
Seeing the articles about Mbappe and Yamal victories, they frantically clutched on to the chance that the Kane article was true. However, the England supporters’ aspirations were completely shattered when the article page was taken down.
When & where is Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony taking place?
The ceremony is taking place at the London Palladium Theatre in England on October 26, 2026. The main event will start at 1:30 AM IST on October 27.
Who are the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or 2026?
Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal remain heavy favourites to win the men’s award.
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