Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony at London Palladium Theatre on October 26

The Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony is taking place at the London Palladium Theatre in London on Monday, October 26. This edition is the 70th staging of the award organised by France Football in partnership with UEFA.

First awarded in 1956, the Ballon d’Or is described as the biggest individual award in world football and has been claimed by 47 different players in the men’s category. Lionel Messi has won the prize eight times and Cristiano Ronaldo five times; last year’s winners were Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele for the men’s award and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí for the women’s award. The organisers do not offer cash prizes for the Ballon d’Or.

This year’s shortlist again features last season’s standout performers, with Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal named among the favourites for the men’s prize. The women’s award is being contested by Alexia Putellas, Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey.

The men’s award will be decided on performances between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026, the date of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. The eligibility window for the women’s award runs from August 3, 2025, to August 16, 2026, the date of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final.

Voting for the men’s prize is being carried out by a jury composed of one journalist from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings. The women’s jury comprises one journalist from each of the top 50 countries.

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. Attendees and viewers will see the winners for the men’s and women’s awards announced during the main presentation.

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