- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Photo: Wutthichai Charoenburi from Bangkok via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Team logos via ESPN.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will take place Monday at the London Palladium, marking the award's first move to England. Organizers chose the venue to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the honor and pay tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, who became the inaugural winner in 1956.
The men's shortlist features nominees including Harry Kane of Bayern München, Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi. Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé also appear, alongside Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Rodri. The women's ballot lists candidates such as Barcelona's Alexia Putellas and Caroline Graham Hansen, Arsenal's Alessia Russo, and Manchester City's Khadija Shaw.
Voting relies on panels of journalists who weigh individual performances, team achievements, and career trajectory. One hundred voters decide the men's prize, while 50 select the women's winner. Panelists rank their top 10 choices, with points assigned per position.
The Kopa Trophy for best young player will be chosen by former Ballon d'Or winners. Nominees include Yamal, Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí, and Warren Zaïre-Emery of Paris Saint-Germain. Separate awards will honor the top men's and women's goalkeepers, plus the men's coach of the year.
Source: CBS Sports - Sun Oct 25, 7:40 PM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).