Football's most prestigious individual honour, the Ballon d'Or, is set to be awarded once again, with the 2026 edition promising a historic twist as the ceremony moves to London for the first time in its history. The event, traditionally staged at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, will relocate to the English capital this year to mark the 70th anniversary of Sir Stanley Matthews' triumph in the very first Ballon d'Or competition back in 1956. An exact venue for the October 2026 ceremony has yet to be confirmed.
France Football, the magazine behind the award, unveiled its initial shortlist of nominees on Tuesday, September 8. Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham, Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembele, and Real Madrid's Marc Cucurella have all been named so far, with further additions expected in the coming weeks as the full list is finalised.
Among those anticipated to feature prominently once the complete nominee pool is revealed are England captain Harry Kane, World Cup winner Lamine Yamal, and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe. Other names being mentioned in connection with this year's race include Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Rodri, and veteran icon Lionel Messi.
Kane has emerged as the bookmakers' early favourite to lift the award for the first time. His case is built on an extraordinary campaign with Bayern Munich, during which he scored 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions, propelling Vincent Kompany's team to a domestic treble. His prolific form also earned him a second European Golden Shoe. Beyond his club exploits, Kane was instrumental in England's run to the World Cup semi-finals this past summer, with the Three Lions ultimately securing third place, finishing ahead of tournament favourites France.
Should Kane claim the trophy, he would become the first English footballer to win the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen achieved the feat in 2001. He would also join a select group of English winners that includes Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Stanley Matthews, and Kevin Keegan, who remarkably won back-to-back titles in 1978 and 1979 while playing for Hamburg in Germany.
The reigning champion is Dembele, who claimed the golden football last year after edging out Barcelona sensation Yamal, who finished as runner-up while also picking up the Young Player of the Year honour in 2025. Dembele's triumph came after he took over from Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, who had won the previous edition.
Looking at the award's all-time history, Messi remains the outright leader with eight Ballon d'Or victories, comfortably ahead of long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won it five times. A trio of legendary figures - Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, and Franz Beckenbauer - each secured three Ballon d'Or titles during their respective careers, underlining just how difficult it is to reach the summit of the individual game more than a handful of times.
As the nomination process continues, further clarity on the full shortlist and betting odds is expected in the coming weeks. With Kane, Yamal, Mbappe, and a host of other elite performers all in contention, the race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or looks set to be one of the most closely watched in recent memory, made all the more significant by the ceremony's landmark relocation to London.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.