Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony lands in London: date, nominees and how the vote works
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium. It starts at 8:00 PM UK time.
- Harry Kane leads the men's shortlist after scoring 73 goals last season.
- Thierry Henry and Kate Scott will host the show. This is the first ceremony ever held in London.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be named on Monday, October 26, in London. The ceremony starts at 8:00 PM UK time. This is the first time the award gala comes to London.
What happened
France Football released the 30-player men's shortlist on September 8, 2026, according to talkSPORT. The women's shortlist came out on the same day. Both lists hold 30 names.
Thierry Henry and Kate Scott will host the gala The news broke on October 19, 2026. Henry finished second in the 2003 Ballon d'Or vote He earned nine nominations as a player.
Scott hosted the ceremony in 2014, 2015 and 2025, according to UEFA.
The venue is the London Palladium Theatre near Oxford Circus. The award turns 70 this year. France Football created it in 1956. The first winner was England's Stanley Matthews.
UEFA now co-organises the award with France Football. The partnership began in 2024. Groupe Amaury still owns the brand and runs the voting.
Last year's ceremony took place on September 22, 2025. Ousmane Dembélé won the men's prize. Aitana Bonmatí won the women's prize, according to UEFA. The reference period ran from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2026. It covered the 2025/26 season and this summer's World Cup, according to talkSPORT.
Why it matters
Harry Kane is the name on everyone's lips The England captain is one of the favourites, according to talkSPORT He scored 73 goals for club and country in the 2025/26 season.
That includes 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich He added 12 more for England.
That scoring run already won him a second Gerd Müller Trophy That prize goes to the season's top scorer Kane is 33 years old.
He wants to be the fifth Englishman to win the Ballon d'Or No English player has won it since Michael Owen in 2001.
Three past winners sit on the men's shortlist Lionel Messi has won it eight times Ousmane Dembélé holds the 2025 award.
Rodri won in 2024. Paris Saint-Germain dominates the list with one third of the men's nominations, according to UEFA The club's stars were also central in last season's Champions League ties against Barcelona.
Alexia Putellas leads the women's side She won the award in 2021 and 2022. She is the only past winner on the women's shortlist, according to UEFA Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo also made the cut.
Three Gunners sit on the shortlists after Arsenal's European form.
The vote itself is simple One journalist from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries casts a ballot France Football's rules weigh three things.
First, individual performances Second, team success and trophies Third, class and fair play on the pitch.
The wider race
Kylian Mbappé finished the summer as the World Cup's top scorer He netted 10 goals for France at the tournament, according to talkSPORT Lamine Yamal also has a strong case.
He won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barcelona.
Kane outscored them both last season He hit six goals at the World Cup as England finished third He also struck 36 times in the Bundesliga.
That earned him a second European Golden Shoe He helped Bayern win the league and the DFB Pokal.
His best Ballon d'Or finish so far is 10th He reached that mark in 2017, 2018 and 2024. Manchester City are also well represented The club has ten nominees across the awards, according to the club.
Its women's shortlist includes Kerstin Casparij, Alex Greenwood, Khadija Shaw, Vivianne Miedema and Yui Hasegawa.
How the night runs
The gala hands out more than the two top prizes Young Talent of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year get their own awards Coach of the Year and Club of the Year are also handed out.
The best strikers win the Gerd Müller Trophy The Sócrates Award honours humanitarian work by a footballer.
Fans can watch the show live on DAZN, according to Manchester City.
What happens next
The world will know the winner on Monday night Months of debate end in London For Kane, this is the biggest stage of his career.
A win would put him beside Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Owen.
Win or lose, the 2026 vote sets the pecking order for next season. Younger stars like Lamine Yamal are pushing hard behind the favourites. The 70th anniversary gala in London promises a night to remember.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,