2026 Ballon d’Or: Full men’s, women’s short lists, host city change, more
It’s almost that point once more.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or awards — the annual ceremony through which France Football Magazine crowns the most effective males’s and women’s gamers on the planet — are quick approaching, with the short checklist for every award introduced on Tuesday.
The Ballon d’Or trophies are handed out primarily based on the standards of: “1) Individual performances, decisive and impressive character, 2) Team performances and achievements, 3) Class and fair play.”
Any participant in world soccer is eligible, regardless of the league they play in or their nation of origin, and the short lists are determined by a jury of 100 journalists from all over the world. So who’s nominated for this 12 months’s awards, and who may win?
When is the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, and why is not it in Paris?
The 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, which have lengthy been offered by France Football Magazine, might be handed out on Oct. 26. There might be a distinction this 12 months, although: The star-studded ceremony is not going to happen in Paris. Instead, will probably be held in London at The London Palladium theater to mark the gala’s seventieth anniversary.
The first Ballon d’Or ceremony was a a lot more humble affair, held in Blackpool, England, and awarded to 41-year-old star ahead Stanley Matthews.
Matthews was an all-time England nice who spent the vast majority of his profession at Blackpool and Stoke City and, when saying the venue change, was described by organizers as a “true ambassador of football.”
“As the Ballon d’Or becomes of septuagenarian age, it is fitting in such a landmark year to celebrate the finest present-day exponents of the beautiful game in the beating heart of the country that first conceived of it,” organizers added.
Full 30-player Ballon d’Or short checklist
Jude Bellingham
Club: Real Madrid
Country: England
Bellingham did not win a trophy with Real Madrid for the second 12 months operating, however the all-action midfielder was an vital pillar of England’s bronze medal-winning show on the 2026 World Cup. The 23-year-old scored seven targets on the event and his virtuoso two-goal show towards Mexico within the spherical of 16 is more likely to go down in Three Lions’ folklore.
Pau Cubarsí
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
A debut nomination for 19-year-old heart again Cubarsi, who performed an vital function in Barcelona’s 2025-26 title win earlier than being topped Best Young Player on the World Cup after enjoying each single minute of Spain’s monumental victory, retaining seven clear sheets alongside the way in which. He can also be nominated for the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the most effective participant aged 21 or youthful.
Marc Cucurella
Club: Chelsea / Real Madrid
Country: Spain
Cucurella was a mainstay for Chelsea within the Premier League in 2025-26 earlier than finishing a switch to Real Madrid throughout the World Cup. The energetic left again performed each single minute for Spain on the event, and even supplied two assists earlier than ending his summer time as a world champion.
Ousmane Dembélé
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: France
Dembélé received the 2025 Ballon d’Or after starring for Paris Saint-Germain within the first of their back-to-back Champions League wins in 2024-25. Having repeated the feat with the membership final season, the 29-year-old winger additionally accrued six targets and two assists for France on the 2026 World Cup.
Luis Díaz
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: Colombia
Diaz was a part of a Bayern Munich staff that amassed 122 league targets in simply 34 Bundesliga matches final season, with the Colombia ahead accounting for 15 of them. He then scored one objective and notched an help as his nation have been jettisoned from the World Cup on the round-of-16 stage on penalties by Switzerland.
Bruno Fernandes
Club: Manchester United
Country: Portugal
One of probably the most dependable artistic forces within the Premier League, Fernandes scored 9 targets and weighed in with 21 assists for Manchester United in 2025-26, thus breaking the league’s single-season help document within the course of. It then got here as little shock to see the Portuguese maestro topped Premier League Player of the Season.
Erling Haaland
Club: Manchester City
Country: Norway
Despite struggling an prolonged fallow interval throughout the second half of the 2025-26 Premier League marketing campaign that noticed him notch simply three league targets between January and mid-April, Haaland nonetheless powered to a 3rd Golden Boot with 27 targets in 35 video games. The Norway striker then scored seven targets in his debut World Cup outing whereas changing into probably the most in style personalities on the event.
Gabriel Magalhães
Club: Arsenal
Country: Brazil
Gabriel saved 17 clear sheets for Arsenal of their title-winning 2025-26 season, serving to to solidify probably the most efficient defensive traces in world soccer.
Harry Kane
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: England
One of the favorites to carry the 2026 Ballon d’Or, Kane scored an astounding 67 targets in 58 video games for Bayern Munich final season throughout all competitions, together with 36 targets in 31 Bundesliga video games. However, the prolific striker did fall short in his quest to win each the Champions League and the World Cup — although he did technically captain England to a third-place end on the latter.
Achraf Hakimi
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Morocco
Hakimi made solely 18 appearances for PSG within the league final season however nonetheless ended up as a title and Champions League winner with the French giants. The proper again additionally received the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco — though they misplaced the ultimate to Senegal, the outcome was overturned by organizers as a result of their opponents prematurely leaving the pitch — and he reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup the next summer time.
Lamine Yamal
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Yamal scored 24 targets in 45 video games for Barcelona in all competitions because the Catalans wrapped up the Spanish league title in 2025-26. A lingering hamstring damage compelled the winger to sit down out the very begin of the World Cup as he managed his health, however he was in a position to function within the group stage in a diminished capability. He then progressively grew in stature because the event progressed, with Spain in the end rising victorious.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Georgia
Instrumental for Paris Saint-Germain of their second successive Champions League victory, the Georgia winger relished enjoying on the massive European stage and registered a sequence of 10 targets and 6 assists alongside the way in which.
Marquinhos
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Brazil
Rock-solid on the coronary heart of the Paris Saint-Germain protection, 32-year-old heart again Marquinhos break up his 32 appearances equally between Ligue 1 and the Champions League in 2025-26, and ended up successful each.
Sadio Mané
Club: Al Nassr
Country: Senegal
A fifth profession nomination for veteran ahead Mane, who pitched in with 14 targets in 36 video games for Al Nassr final season as they have been topped champions of the Saudi Pro League. The 34-year-old Senegal star additionally guided his facet to the ultimate of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Lautaro Martínez
Club: Inter Milan
Country: Argentina
Martinez received the Serie A and Coppa Italia double with Inter Milan in 2025-26, ending as prime objective scorer within the former and being topped the most effective striker within the league because of this. He additionally scored three targets in eight video games to assist Argentina attain the ultimate of the 2026 World Cup.
Kylian Mbappé
Club: Real Madrid
Country: France
He could have gone two seasons with out successful something with Real Madrid, however Mbappe hasn’t been shy in placing himself ahead for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, remarking that this 12 months can be a “good year” for him to win it. The striker scored 42 targets in 44 video games for Madrid and duly carried his positive kind into the World Cup with France, the place he claimed the Golden Boot with a formidable 10 targets to his title.
Nuno Mendes
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Portugal
A league and European double winner with Paris Saint-Germain with the Portugal worldwide routinely proving to be among the many best left backs on the planet.
Lionel Messi
Club: Inter Miami
Country: Argentina
With a record-extending seventeenth Ballon d’Or nomination, Messi is as soon as once more within the operating to say what can be a ninth profession Ballon d’Or on the grand age of 39. The famous person continues to be scoring and helping freely with Inter Miami in MLS, however his inspirational performances — encompassing eight targets and 4 assists in eight video games — for Argentina on the World Cup this summer time noticed him come near captaining his nation to a second successive World Cup triumph, just for the dream to disintegrate towards Spain within the closing.
Michael Olise
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: France
Nominated final 12 months however ending thirtieth out of 30 within the polling, Olise has seen his inventory rise immeasurably over the previous 12 months. The fashionable, skillful attacking midfielder was an intrinsic a part of the Bayern Munich facet that cantered to the 2025-26 Bundesliga title and whereas he could not have discovered the online for France throughout their run to the World Cup semifinals this summer time, Olise did lay on seven assists — three more than some other participant.
João Neves
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Portugal
He could solely be 21 years previous, however Neves has already developed into probably the most coveted midfielders in world soccer. A metronomic presence within the center for Paris Saint-Germain and a Ligue 1 and Champions League double winner final outing.
Willian Pacho
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Ecuador
Highly rated Ecuador heart again Pacho made 44 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain final season, successful the league and European double.
Julián Quiñones
Club: Al Qadsiah
Country: Mexico
Quiñones outscored Ivan Toney and Cristiano Ronaldo within the Saudi Pro League along with his membership Al Qadsiah, bagging 33 targets to prime the chart in 2025-26 earlier than scoring 4 targets for Mexico on the 2026 World Cup.
Declan Rice
Club: Arsenal
Country: England
One of probably the most reliable and versatile midfielders in world soccer, Rice was a Premier League title winner with Arsenal in 2025-26, with 5 targets and 11 assists thrown in for good measure. He additionally began all seven of England’s video games on the World Cup, even scoring within the topsy-turvy bronze medal tie towards France.
Rodri
Club: Manchester City / Barcelona
Country: Spain
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner endured a reasonably underwhelming 2025-26 season at membership stage with Manchester City although he did appear to recapture his kind simply in time for the World Cup, the place he pulled the strings in magisterial vogue for Spain on their option to lifting the trophy earlier than wrapping up a £65million switch to Barcelona within the aftermath.
Fabián Ruiz
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Spain
After an unimaginable season with Paris Saint-Germain and Spain, Ruiz can now declare to have received all of it by including a World Cup winners’ medal to an enviable assortment that already included the European Championship, the UEFA Nations League, the Champions League, varied league titles and a host of different main honors.
Ferran Torres
Club: Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Spain
Torres scored 21 targets in 49 video games for Barcelona of their title-winning 2025-26 marketing campaign, although his crowning glory should absolutely be scoring the objective that noticed Spain pip Argentina to win the 2026 World Cup. He left Barcelona this summer time to hitch PSG.
William Saliba
Club: Arsenal
Country: France
Alongside defensive accomplice Gabriel, Saliba shaped a watertight barrier on the again as Arsenal lower and thrust their option to the 2025-26 Premier League title.
Dayot Upamecano
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: France
Upamecano received the 2025-26 German title with Bayern Munich and was named within the Bundesliga staff of the 12 months thereafter, regardless of solely making 24 appearances. He then performed eight instances for France on the 2026 World Cup, conceding simply two targets earlier than Spain knocked them out on the semifinal stage.
Vinícius Júnior
Club: Real Madrid
Country: Brazil
Vinicius Junior scored 22 targets in 53 video games for Real Madrid final season, however frustratingly ended the marketing campaign with little to point out for his attacking endeavors. He then contributed 4 targets and an help for Brazil on the World Cup.
Vitinha
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Country: Portugal
Another of Paris Saint-Germain’s double winners, Vitinha made 50 appearances and scored seven targets for the French giants over the course of the 2025-26 season whereas being named in each the official Ligue 1 and Champions League groups of the season.
Full 30-player Ballon d’Or Féminin short checklist
Selma Bacha
Club: OL Lyonnes
Country: France
As one of many main left backs within the sport, Bacha helped Lyonnes to a home treble and one other Champions League closing, including 13 assists to assist keep OL Lyonnes’ dominance.
Barbra Banda
Club: Orlando Pride
Country: Zambia
With 14 targets in 21 video games, Banda has not slowed down her ruthlessness in entrance of objective, making her probably the most outstanding attackers on the planet.
Klara Bühl
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: Germany
Even although she registered 10 targets for Bayern Munich this season, it’s her 23 assists throughout 37 matches which have made Bühl a worthy nominee, main the German champions to a home treble.
Esmee Brugts
Club: Barcelona
Country: Netherlands
In her first nomination for the Ballon d’Or, Brugts registered 13 targets and 11 assists throughout 48 matches for Barcelona extremely contributing to a different quadruple-winning marketing campaign.
Mariona Caldentey
Club: Arsenal
Country: Spain
Caldentey helped information Arsenal to the inaugural Champions Cup title and retained Spain’s Nations League trophy together with her meticulous work charge and management within the midfield.
Scarlett Camberos
Club: Club América
Country: Mexico
As the primary feminine Mexican participant to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or, Camberos has already made historical past. She scored 27 targets and registered seven assists when main Club América to win the Concacaf Women’s Champions Cup.
Kerstin Casparij
Club: Manchester City
Country: Netherlands
The Dutch defender began virtually all of City’s victorious Women’s Super League marketing campaign, captaining the facet when wanted, including seven assists and serving to the staff to a different FA Cup victory.
Temwa Chawinga
Club: Kansas City Current
Country: Malawi
Chawinga’s spectacular 15-goal tally performed a key function in main the Kansas City Current to the NWSL Shield, highlighting her essential contribution to the staff’s excellent regular-season marketing campaign.
Cata Coll
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Keeping 23 clear sheets in complete, Coll ensured Barcelona claimed one other quadruple and even saved a clear sheet throughout the Champions League closing. She solely conceded 18 targets all season in 39 video games.
Melchie Dumornay
Club: OL Lyonnes
Country: Haiti
Leading Lyonnes’ assault, Dumornay netted 21 targets within the 2025-26 season, successful Première Ligue Player of the Year and guiding Lyonnes to a different Champions League closing. She added 12 assists to arrange her teammates, making her probably the most precious gamers within the sport.
Caroline Graham Hansen
Club: Barcelona
Country: Norway
With 17 targets and 16 assists in 45 video games, Graham Hansen was as outstanding as ever throughout Barcelona’s quadruple-winning season.
Alex Greenwood
Club: Manchester City
Country: England
The England defender captained Manchester City to home a home double, ending Chelsea’s supremacy over the Women’s Super League in addition to securing one other FA Cup title in a complete 4-0 win over Brighton at Wembley.
Patri Guijarro
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
Guijarro performed a significant function in Barcelona’s engine room, making certain the juggernauts stayed on prime. Amid accidents and modifications, the Spain midfielder’s ability didn’t waver, making her the most effective gamers on the planet.
Pernille Harder
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: Denmark
A prolific scorer, Harder’s 35 targets and 12 assists made positive Bayern’s home treble goals stayed intact. She has received a home title yearly since 2016 regardless of enjoying for 3 golf equipment in three completely different nations; 2025-26 was no completely different.
Yui Hasegawa
Club: Manchester City
Country: Japan
As probably the most underrated gamers, Hasegawa has flown underneath the radar, but the Japan worldwide began 20 WSL matches for City final season and maintained the English champions’ commonplace to say a second home title. She received her one centesimal cap for Japan throughout the nation’s title-winning Women’s Asia Cup run.
Rose Lavelle
Club: Gotham FC
Country: United States
Lavelle was an important determine in securing Gotham’s NWSL Challenge Cup with 14 targets and 5 assists in 40 video games.
Mapi León
Club: Barcelona / London City Lionesses
Country: Spain
León was certainly one of Barcelona’s longest-serving gamers and began in 10 of the membership’s 11 Women’s Champions League video games on their option to lifting the trophy for the fourth time. This summer time, although, she moved to rising WSL staff London City Lionesses.
Lorena
Club: Kansas City Current
Country: Brazil
The first-choice goalkeeper for each Kansas City Current and Brazil, she is of probably the most established goalkeepers in South American women’s soccer. She can also be nominated for the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Melvine Malard
Club: Manchester United / Chelsea
Country: France
Malard was certainly one of Manchester United’s standout gamers as they reached the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals in what was the membership’s debut within the competitors, notching 4 targets and 4 assists over the course of eight appearances. This summer time, she made a blockbuster transfer to Chelsea.
Manaka Matsukubo
Club: North Carolina Courage / Chelsea
Country: Japan
Named the NWSL’s finest midfielder in 2025, Matsukubo adopted up with an excellent begin to the 2026 season with 5 targets and 4 assists in 9 video games earlier than becoming a member of Chelsea in July. At worldwide stage, she received the Women’s Asia Cup with Japan.
Vivianne Miedema
Club: Manchester City
Country: Netherlands
Manchester City ended their decade-long watch for the Women’s Super League title, and so they may scarcely have performed it with out Miedema. The skillful ahead began all however three of their league video games final season, scoring 10 targets.
Ewa Pajor
Club: Barcelona
Country: Poland
When Barcelona want targets, Pajor is the primary title they name upon. She was the 2025-26 Women’s Champions League prime scorer with 11 targets in 10 appearances. She is among the many favorites for the Ballon d’Or Féminin.
Clàudia Pina
Club: Barcelona
Country: Spain
As prolific as her teammate Pajor is, Pina strikes an in depth second. She scored 21 targets in 27 video games in Liga F final season, ending because the competitors’s prime scorer.
Alexia Putellas
Club: Barcelona / London City Lionesses
Country: Spain
A favourite to win her third Ballon d’Or Féminin award, Putellas returned to being Barcelona’s most vital participant in one other landmark 12 months, captaining the membership to one more quadruple. However, this summer time, she ended her 12-year keep on the Camp Nou to hitch the London City Lionesses.
Wendie Renard
Club: OL Lyonnes
Country: France
Even at 36 years previous, Renard continues to be among the many gold commonplace of heart backs within the sport. She was one win away from extending her document of eight Women’s Champions League titles, solely to see defeat to Barcelona within the closing.
Alessia Russo
Club: Arsenal
Country: England
With 18 objective contributions in 22 WSL video games final season, Russo stays the most effective attacking threats in world soccer. She can also be simply certainly one of two England gamers to make the short checklist alongside Manchester City’s Alex Greenwood.
Khadija “Bunny” Shaw
Club: Manchester City
Country: Jamaica
With Manchester City not in European soccer final season, Shaw started working specializing in scoring within the WSL and did so fantastically. She completed because the competitors’s prime scorer with 21 targets.
Momoko Tanikawa
Club: Bayern Munich
Country: Japan
Still solely 21 years previous, Tanikawa was an influential presence within the Bayern Munich midfield that helped the membership attain the Women’s Champions League semifinals, solely to succumb to a hard-fought defeat to eventual champions Barcelona. At worldwide stage, she received the Women’s Asia Cup with Japan.
Caroline Weir
Club: Real Madrid / OL Lyonnes
Country: Scotland
Last 12 months, Weir grew to become the primary Scottish participant to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or Féminin, and she or he follows up with one other short checklist this outing. She netted 14 targets for Real Madrid in Liga F final season, in addition to showing within the Women’s Champions League. In June, she moved to OL Lyonnes.
Tessa Wullaert
Club: Inter Milan
Country: Belgium
In her second season in Italy, Wullaert excelled with Inter Milan, scoring a league-high 14 targets, albeit the membership didn’t handle to beat AS Roma to the Women’s Serie A title.
Other awards and nominees
The crowning of European soccer’s finest males’s and women’s gamers are removed from the one awards that France Football Magazine will hand out on the evening. As ever, there might be prizes for the most effective golf equipment and coaches, in addition to awards for the most effective U21 participant, finest goalkeeper, prime scorer and the participant who made excellent humanitarian and social contributions.
Here are the nominees for every of these awards:
Men’s younger participant of the 12 months award (Kepa Trophy)
Kerim Alajbegović, RB Salzburg / Juventus
Ayyoub Bouaddi, Lille / Manchester City
Pau Cubarsí, Barcelona
Yan Diomande, RB Leipzig / Real Madrid
Lennart Karl, Bayern Munich
Junior Kroupi, AFC Bournemouth
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
Johan Manzambi, Freiburg / Aston Villa
Ibrahim Maza, Bayer Leverkusen
Warren Zaïre-Emery, Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s younger participant of the 12 months
Veerle Buurman, Chelsea
Vicky López, Barcelona
Felicia Schröder, BK Häcken / Real Madrid
Clara Serrajordi, Barcelona
Lily Yohannes, OL Lyonnes
Men’s goalkeeper of the 12 months
Yassine Bounou, Al Hilal
Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid
Joan García, Barcelona
Gregor Kobel, Borussia Dortmund
Emiliano Martínez, Aston Villa / Chelsea
Édouard Mendy, Al Ahli
David Raya, Arsenal
Matvei Safonov, Paris Saint-Germain
Unai Simón, Athletic Club
Vozinha, Chaves / Colo Colo
Women’s goalkeeper of the 12 months
Ann-Katrin Berger, Gotham FC
Cata Coll, Barcelona
Hannah Hampton, Chelsea
Lorena, Kansas City Current
Ayaka Yamashita, Manchester City
Men’s coach of the 12 months
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
Luis de la Fuente, Spain nationwide staff
Unai Emery, Aston Villa
Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich
Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s coach of the 12 months
Jonatan Giráldez, OL Lyonnes
Andrée Jeglertz, Manchester City
Nils Nielsen, Japan nationwide staff
Pere Romeu, FC Barcelona
Elena Sadiku, Celtic/BK Häcken
Men’s membership of the 12 months
Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Bodø/Glimt
Flamengo
Paris Saint-Germain
Women’s membership of the 12 months
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Club America
Manchester City
OL Lyonne
Information from ESPN’s Connor O’Halloran and Emily Keogh contributed to this report.