Ballon d’Or 2026 LIVE – Winners, Full Results, Rankings & Award Ceremony Updates
(Courtesy : Getty)
The Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony is taking place at the London Palladium Theatre in London on Monday, October 26. This marks the 70th edition of the biggest individual award in world football, organised by France Football in partnership with UEFA.
Since its inception in 1956, the award has been won by some of the biggest names. It has been dominated by Lionel Messi, who won it eight times, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who won it five times. A total of 47 players have won the men’s award.
Last year, Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele won the men’s award, while Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí won the women’s award.
Mbappe, Kane, Yamal competing for Ballon d’Or 2026
This year, too, the outstanding performers from last season are competing to lift the Golden Ball. Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, and Lamine Yamal are the favourites to win the men’s award, while the women’s award will be contested by Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo, and Mariona Caldentey.
For the 2026 men’s awards, the awards committee will consider performances between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026, the date of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The women’s awards will be presented based on performances between August 3, 2025, and August 16, 2026, the date of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final.
The men’s jury will consist of one journalist from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings. The women’s jury will consist of one journalist from each of the top 50 countries.
While no cash prizes are involved with the Ballon d’Or, it represents the pinnacle of individual excellence in world football, as the likes of Messi and Ronaldo have shown in previous years.
The 2026 ceremony will start at 1:30 AM IST on October 27, while the main awards will be presented late on Monday night in London and early on Tuesday morning in India.
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