The official nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or have been announced, with reigning champion Ousmane Dembélé, Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal among the notable names on the 30-man shortlist.
France and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé enters the race as the reigning men’s Ballon d’Or winner after claiming his first title at the 2025 ceremony.
The 2026 shortlist features players representing clubs including Manchester City, Inter Miami, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah. The shortlist is also notable for the presence of players from the Saudi Pro League.
The 30 nominees:
The official Ballon d’Or nominee announcement was published and updated on September 8, 2026.
The 30 nominees are competing for football’s most prestigious individual prize, with the winner to be announced at the ceremony in London.
How the Ballon d’Or winner is decided
The Ballon d’Or winner will be determined through an international jury of specialised journalists.
According to the official regulations, the voting panel consists of one journalist representing each of the 100 highest-ranked countries in the FIFA men’s world ranking.
The journalists assess the players according to three principal criteria:
– Individual performances and decisive character.
– Collective performances and trophies won.
– Class and fair play.
The points accumulated through the voting process determine the winner.
When is the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony?
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday, October 26, 2026, in London.
The event will mark the 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or and will see the men’s and women’s winners crowned alongside the winners of the other awards presented during the ceremony.
