Ballon d'Or 2026 Winner to Be Revealed Tonight: All Eyes on London

The winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, one of football's most prestigious individual awards, will be revealed this evening. London, the English capital, will host a grand ceremony marking the award's 70th edition. In the men's category, 30 nominees are competing for the title of the year's best player, with Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane among the standout names. Last year's winner, Ousmane Dembélé, is also back on the shortlist as he bids to defend his crown.

The announcement made through official channels highlighted the performances the nominees delivered over the season at both club and international level. The inclusion of the 2026 World Cup in the evaluation period, in particular, has given international success greater weight in the race. This year's winners will be announced at the ceremony in London on Monday, 26 October 2026. The ceremony at the London Palladium will begin at 20:00 GMT; coinciding with the award's 70th edition, the night will be the first Ballon d'Or ceremony ever held in London.

Premier League champions Arsenal have Gabriel, Declan Rice and William Saliba among the Ballon d'Or nominees. Alongside Gabriel and Saliba, who played a key role in the English side's defensive consistency, midfield leader Rice also made the list. Real Madrid are represented by Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. Barcelona's Pau Cubarsí and Lamine Yamal feature on the list, while Spanish players Rodri and Ferran Torres also earned places among the nominees.

A 10-man shortlist was also announced for the Goalkeeper of the Year award. Barcelona's Joan García, Borussia Dortmund's Gregor Kobel, Arsenal's David Raya and PSG's Matvey Safonov are among the standout names. Unai Simón, Thibaut Courtois, Emiliano Martínez, Édouard Mendy, Yassine Bounou and Vozinha are the other goalkeepers in contention for the award.

In the Coach of the Year category, Luis Enrique, who led Paris Saint-Germain to major success, and Vincent Kompany, who won trophies at the helm of Bayern Munich, are among the nominees. Aston Villa's Unai Emery, Arsenal's Mikel Arteta and Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente are also in the running for the award.

Among the nominees in the men's category, Harry Kane leads the way for attacking output. The English striker, who won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the German Super Cup with Bayern Munich, was one of the most prolific nominees over the past period. Manchester City's Norwegian star Erling Haaland and Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé also stood out for their goal tallies, with Mbappé once again regarded as one of the strongest contenders in the Ballon d'Or race on the strength of his individual performances.