The wait is almost over, as on Monday, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place at the London Palladium. The event moves to England to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the award and to honor Sir Stanley Matthews, the English legend who won the very first Ballon d’Or in 1956.
Multiple awards will be presented on Monday, but when it comes to the men’s Ballon d’Or, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi are among the nominees for the most desired individual prize in the sport. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the ceremony, how to watch and more:
How to watch the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony
- Date: Monday, Oct. 26 | Time: Red Carpet: 2 p.m. ET; Ceremony: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: London Palladium — London, England
- Watch: DAZN
Voting system: How does it work?
The voting system is based on three factors: individual performances, team achievements and career. A panel of 100 sports journalists for the men’s award and 50 for the women’s select their top 10 picks for each award. Each spot in the top 10 earns a specific number of points that are then tallied.
- 15 points
- 12 points
- 10 points
- 8 points
- 7 points
- 5 points
- 4 points
- 3 points
- 2 points
- 1 point
Additionally, the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young player, has a different voting system with a jury made up of former Ballon d’Or winners.
All the categories
All the awards will be presented to both men and women with no differences. Let’s take a look at all the prizes that will be awarded in London:
- Men’s Ballon d’Or (best male player, 2025-26 season)
- Women’s Ballon d’Or (best female player, 2025-26 season)
- Men’s Young Talent of the Year (best male U21 player)
- Women’s Young Talent of the Year (best female young player)
- Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year (best male goalkeeper)
- Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year (best female goalkeeper)
- Men’s Coach of the Year (best male coach, club/national team)
- Women’s Coach of the Year (best female coach)
- Men’s Club of the Year Trophy
- Women’s Club of the Year Trophy
- Socrates Award: presented by L’Équipe and Peace and Sport for solidarity initiatives and societal causes supported by a committed champion.
What happened in 2025?
Let’s take a look at the winners of the past edition:
- Men’s Kopa Trophy: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona/Spain)
- Women’s Kopa Trophy: Vicky Lopez (Barcelona/Spain)
- Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy: Sarina Wiegman (England)
- Men’s Johan Cruyff Trophy: Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Women’s Yashin Trophy: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea/England)
- Men’s Yashin Trophy: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City/Italy)
- Women’s Gerd Muller Trophy: Ewa Pajor (Barcelona/Poland)
- Men’s Gerd Muller Trophy: Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal/Sweden)
- Women’s Club of the Year: Arsenal
- Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain
- Socrates Trophy: Xana Foundation
- Women’s Ballon d’Or: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona/Spain)
- Men’s Ballon d’Or: Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain/France)
2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees
Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)
Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)
Marc Cucurella (Spain, Chelsea/Real Madrid)
Ousmane Dembélé (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Luis Díaz (Colombia, Bayern München)
Bruno Fernandes (Portugal, Manchester United)
Gabriel (Brazil, Arsenal)
Erling Haaland (Norway, Manchester City)
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, Paris Saint-Germain)
Harry Kane (England, Bayern München)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia, Paris Saint-Germain)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Sadio Mané (Senegal, Al-Nassr)
Marquinhos (Brazil, Paris Saint-Germain)
Lautaro Martínez (Argentina, Inter)
Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid)
Nuno Mendes (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami)
João Neves (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
Michael Olise (France, Bayern München)
Willian Pacho (Ecuador, Paris Saint-Germain)
Julián Quiñones (Mexico, Al-Qadsiah)
Declan Rice (England, Arsenal)
Rodri (Spain, Manchester City/Barcelona)
Fabián Ruiz (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
William Saliba (France, Arsenal)
Ferran Torres (Spain, Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain)
Dayot Upamecano (France, Bayern München)
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil, Real Madrid)
Vitinha (Portugal, Paris Saint-Germain)
2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or nominees
Selma Bacha (France, OL Lyonnes)
Barbra Banda (Zambia, Orlando Pride)
Esmee Brugts (Netherlands, Barcelona)
Klara Bühl (Germany, Bayern München)
Mariona Caldentey (Spain, Arsenal)
Scarlett Camberos (Mexico, Club América)
Kerstin Casparij (Netherlands, Manchester City)
Temwa Chawinga (Malawi, Kansas City Current)
Cata Coll (Spain, Barcelona)
Melchie Dumornay (Haiti, OL Lyonnes)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway, Barcelona)
Alex Greenwood (England, Manchester City)
Patri Guijarro (Spain, Barcelona)
Pernille Harder (Denmark, Bayern München)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan, Manchester City)
Rose Lavelle (United States, Gotham FC)
Mapi León (Spain, Barcelona/London City Lionesses)
Lorena (Brazil, Kansas City Current)
Melvine Malard (France, Manchester United/Chelsea)
Manaka Matsukubo (Japan, North Carolina Courage/Chelsea)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands, Manchester City)
Ewa Pajor (Poland, Barcelona)
Clàudia Pina (Spain, Barcelona)
Alexia Putellas (Spain, Barcelona/London City Lionesses)
Wendie Renard (France, OL Lyonnes)
Alessia Russo (England, Arsenal)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica, Manchester City)
Momoko Tanikawa (Japan, Bayern München)
Caroline Weir (Scotland, Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes)
Tessa Wullaert (Belgium, Inter/Como)
Men’s Young Talent of the Year
Kerim Alajbegović (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Salzburg/Juventus)
Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco, Lille/Manchester City)
Pau Cubarsí (Spain/Barcelona)
Yan Diomandé (Côte d’Ivoire, Leipzig/Real Madrid)
Lennart Karl (Germany, Bayern München)
Éli Junior Kroupi (France, Bournemouth)
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Johan Manzambi (Switzerland, Freiburg/Aston Villa)
Ibrahim Maza (Algeria, Leverkusen)
Warren Zaïre-Emery (France, Paris)
Women’s Young Talent of the Year
Veerle Buurman (Netherlands, Chelsea)
Vicky López (Spain, Barcelona)
Felicia Schröder (Sweden, Häcken/Real Madrid)
Clara Serrajordi (Spain, Barcelona)
Lily Yohannes (United States, OL Lyonnes)
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year 2026 nominees
Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium, Real Madrid)
Joan García (Spain, Barcelona)
Gregor Kobel (Switzerland, Dortmund)
Emiliano Martínez (Argentina, Aston Villa/Chelsea)
Édouard Mendy (Senegal, Al-Ahli)
David Raya (Spain, Arsenal)
Matvey Safonov (Russia, Paris Saint-Germain)
Unai Simón (Spain, Athletic Club)
Vozinha (Cape Verde, Chaves/Colo-Colo)
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year 2026 nominees
Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany, Gotham FC)
Cata Coll (Spain, Barcelona)
Hannah Hampton (England, Chelsea)
Lorena (Brazil, Kansas City Current)
Ayaka Yamashita (Japan, Manchester City)
Men’s Coach of the Year 2026 nominees
Mikel Arteta (Spain, Arsenal)
Luis de la Fuente (Spain, Spain national team)
Unai Emery (Spain, Aston Villa)
Vincent Kompany (Belgium, Bayern München)
Luis Enrique (Spain, Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year 2026 nominees
Jonatan Giráldez (Spain, OL Lyonnes)
Andrée Jeglertz (Sweden, Manchester City)
Nils Nielsen (Denmark, Japan national team)
Pere Romeu (Spain, Barcelona)
Elena Sadiku (Sweden, Celtic/Häcken)
Men’s Club of the Year 2026 nominees
Arsenal (England)
Bayern München (Germany)
Bodø/Glimt (Norway)
Flamengo (Brazil)
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
Women’s Club of the Year 2026 nominees
Barcelona (Spain)
Bayern München (Germany)
Club América (Mexico)
Manchester City (England)
OL Lyonnes (France)
