Ballon d'Or 2026 to be awarded in London for first time outside France

Football’s most prestigious individual honour, the Ballon d'Or, will be awarded on Monday, October 26, in a ceremony that marks a significant shift in the award's history. For the first time since its inception, the gala will be held outside of France, taking place at the London Palladium. This 70th edition of the awards will see Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappe competing in the men's category, while Spain's Alexia Putellas is the favourite to claim the women's trophy for the third time.

The decision to move the ceremony to Britain was made to pay tribute to Stanley Matthews, the English player who won the inaugural Ballon d'Or in 1956. The event will feature a red carpet starting at 18:00 GMT, followed by the main ceremony at 20:00 GMT. Thierry Henry and sports journalist Kate Scott will serve as cohosts, with musical performances scheduled by US rapper French Montana and English singer Jorja Smith.

The Ballon d'Or has a long history, having been created in 1956 by Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran of France Football. Originally restricted to European players, the award expanded in 1995 to include all players active in Europe and became a global prize in 2007. The women's category was introduced in 2018, with Ada Hegerberg as the first recipient. Since the 2024 edition, the award has been co-organised by the Union of European Football Associations and Groupe Amaury.

Voting for the winners is determined by an international jury of specialized journalists. One representative from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations votes for the men's award, while the top 50 vote for the women's category. The FIFA rankings used for this process were those in effect when the nominee lists were published on September 8, 2026. Each jury member ranks ten players from a shortlist of thirty, with points allocated in descending order. The player with the highest aggregate score is declared the winner.

In the men's competition, England captain Harry Kane is the clear favourite among bookmakers, holding approximately 70 percent of the market share as of Sunday. The 33-year-old had a remarkable season, scoring 73 goals and earning his second European Golden Shoe. He finished as the Bundesliga's top scorer for the third consecutive year and led Bayern Munich to the league title. Kane also guided England to a third-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Kylian Mbappe is the second favourite, having won the Golden Boot at the World Cup and setting an all-time goals record. He is followed by Lamine Yamal, the teenage winger who was part of Spain's world title-winning squad. The men's shortlist also includes Lionel Messi, the 2022 World Cup winner, as well as the previous two recipients, Ousmane Dembele and Rodri.

For the women's Ballon d'Or, Spain captain Alexia Putellas leads the field. She is seeking to match the record of three trophies held by her teammate and reigning winner, Aitana Bonmati. Putellas recently led Barcelona to a quadruple, which included wins in the Liga F and the Women's Champions League. Other contenders include Manchester City's Khadija Shaw, Barcelona's Ewa Pajor, and Lyon's Melchie Dumornay, who won a domestic treble.

The voting criteria for the 2026 award cover the period from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026. Jurors are instructed to evaluate players based on individual performances, collective achievements and titles won, and class and fair play. The ceremony will present a total of 13 awards, including the Kopa Trophy for under-21 players, the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers, and the Gerd Muller Trophy for strikers.

Lionel Messi remains the all-time leader in Ballon d'Or wins with eight awards, including a record four consecutive titles from 2009 to 2012. Cristiano Ronaldo is second on the list with five. The 2025 men's winner was Ousmane Dembele, while Rodri claimed the honour in 2024. The Socrates Award, which recognizes humanitarian work and social solidarity, will also be presented during the gala.

Coverage of the ceremony will be available globally. Al Jazeera Sport will provide live coverage starting at 17:00 GMT. DAZN will livestream the event for free in most countries, while viewers in France can watch on L'Equipe TV and those in Spain on Telefonica.