LONDON / RankWire.AI / – Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and Erling Haaland headline the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Organizers unveiled the nominees on September 8 ahead of the October 26 ceremony in London. Ousmane Dembélé, Rodri and Vinícius Júnior also feature among the candidates. Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bruno Fernandes and Achraf Hakimi add to a field drawn from leading clubs and national teams. The London Palladium will host the awards during the competition’s 70th anniversary year.
Paris Saint-Germain has a large presence on the men’s list after a season featuring several of its leading players. Dembélé, Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha all earned places. Lautaro Martínez, Declan Rice, Michael Olise and Sadio Mané also appear among the nominees. France Football oversees the award, which assesses individual displays alongside team achievements and conduct. The 2026 list reflects performances across domestic leagues, continental competitions and international football during the stated eligibility period.
Messi returns to the Ballon d’Or shortlist after missing the 2024 and 2025 candidate lists. The Argentine has won the men’s award a record eight times, most recently in 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo does not feature among the 2026 nominees, extending his absence from the shortlist to four consecutive editions. Brazilian forward Raphinha is also outside the 30-player field. Dembélé enters this year’s competition as the 2025 men’s winner. Aitana Bonmatí claimed the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2025.
Season-long performances shape the 2026 vote
The assessment period runs from August 3, 2025, through July 19, 2026. That schedule covers club competitions and major international tournaments played during the season. The men’s evaluation period includes the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. Voters consider individual performances first, followed by collective achievements and titles. Class and fair play form the third stated criterion. The structure keeps the Ballon d’Or focused on results recorded within a defined season rather than performances across a calendar year.
Journalists from around the world determine the winners through a ranked voting system. The men’s jury includes one representative from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. The women’s vote uses representatives from the top 50 countries. Each voter ranks 10 players from the relevant 30-name shortlist. First place receives 15 points, with the scale declining to one point for tenth. UEFA participates in organizing the awards programme, which includes several categories beyond the two main Ballon d’Or prizes.
London prepares for first Ballon d’Or ceremony
The 2026 programme will also recognize leading goalkeepers, young players, coaches and clubs in men’s and women’s football. Organizers have separate awards for strikers as well as the Sócrates Award. These categories sit alongside the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or competitions on the October programme. London will stage the ceremony for the first time in the award’s history. The event also coincides with 70 years since the first Ballon d’Or went to England international Stanley Matthews in 1956.
The London Palladium will provide the setting when the 2026 winners receive their trophies on October 26. The ceremony will conclude a voting process covering one of football’s busiest club and international seasons. Messi, Mbappé, Yamal, Haaland and Dembélé form part of a men’s field spanning several leagues and national teams. The women’s shortlist also contains 30 candidates competing for the corresponding prize. Results across all announced categories will complete the Ballon d’Or’s 70th edition in the British capital.