The full list of contenders for the 2026 Ballon d'Or has been unveiled, with the awards set to be handed out in London on Monday, 26 October.
Harry Kane headlines the 30-man shortlist for the men's prize and enters as the leading favourite following a remarkable campaign in which he netted 73 goals across all competitions for club and country. Should the Bayern Munich striker and England captain claim the honour, he would become the first English winner since Michael Owen lifted the trophy in 2001. Questions remain, however, over whether Kane's continued absence of a major team trophy could work against him when voters make their decision.
Among those expected to challenge Kane is Rodri, last year's winner, who added the World Cup golden ball to his collection after guiding Spain to the title. Kylian Mbappe also arrives as a serious contender having smashed the World Cup's all-time scoring record with 10 goals in the tournament for France and Real Madrid. Paris Saint-Germain's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed the World Cup but was regarded as one of the standout performers in last season's Champions League as PSG successfully defended their European title.
The men's list also features Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, Manchester City's Erling Haaland, Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr, Arsenal duo Declan Rice and William Saliba, and a strong PSG contingent that includes Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha, reflecting the club's dominant European campaign.
In the women's competition, Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw is among the favourites after firing her side to a WSL and FA Cup double last season. She joins a shortlist that includes Barcelona stars Ewa Pajor, Alexia Putellas, Patri Guijarro and Caroline Graham Hansen, as well as Arsenal's Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey, and OL Lyonnes duo Selma Bacha and Wendie Renard.
Individual honours will also be dished out across several other categories. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya is in contention for the men's Yashin Trophy despite missing out on the World Cup, alongside Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and Barcelona's Joan Garcia. Chelsea's Hannah Hampton, last year's winner of the women's goalkeeping award, has been nominated again, competing against Barcelona's Cata Coll and Manchester City's Ayaka Yamashita.
The race for the men's Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young talent, sees Lamine Yamal nominated for the third consecutive year, while Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsi and Bayern's Lennart Karl also feature. Vicky Lopez of Barcelona headlines the women's young talent shortlist.
On the managerial front, Mikel Arteta has been recognised for ending Arsenal's long wait for a Premier League title and leading the club to the Champions League final, putting him in contention alongside PSG's Luis Enrique and Bayern's Vincent Kompany. In the women's game, Andree Jeglertz earns a nomination after steering Manchester City to a domestic double in his debut season in England.
Arsenal, Bayern Munich and PSG are all shortlisted for the men's Club of the Year award, while Barcelona - who won the Women's Champions League for the third time in four seasons - lead the nominees for the women's equivalent alongside Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
The ceremony's proceedings are typically broadcast live via the Ballon d'Or's official social media channels, giving fans worldwide the chance to follow the announcements as they happen.
Based on reporting from The Independent.