Voting for the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards has officially closed, with the winners set to be announced at a ceremony in London, United Kingdom, on October 26.
A panel of selected journalists from the 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA rankings voted to determine the winner of the men’s award.
Among the nominees attracting attention are Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Rodri, The News Edition reports.
For the women’s Ballon d’Or, a jury of journalists from the 50 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA rankings cast their votes to decide the winner.
Manchester City forward Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw and Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas are among the nominees in the women’s category. Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, is now with London City Lionesses after leaving Barcelona.
The 2026 ceremony will take place at the London Palladium on October 26, marking the first time the prestigious awards event will be held in London.
This year’s ceremony also celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or, which was first awarded in 1956.
With voting now closed, attention has shifted to the announcement of the winners. The outcome of the men’s and women’s awards will be revealed at the ceremony.