Football’s most coveted prize goes to London: The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is on
Kane leads the field as France Football unveils the 70th-anniversary shortlists, with PSG dominant, Messi back and a women’s race wide open without Bonmatí
By Andalo Christine Ingutia
France Football today unveiled the full shortlists for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, the 70th edition of football’s most prestigious individual prize, with Harry Kane heading the betting as the nominees are revealed ahead of the October 26 ceremony at the London Palladium — the first time the award has ever been presented in England.
The choice of London is deliberate. Sir Stanley Matthews became the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner in 1956, and seven decades on, the ceremony returns to English soil to honour the man who started it all. The evening will crown winners across twelve categories, with the men’s and women’s main awards topping a night that also honours the best goalkeeper, best young player, top scorer, coach and club of the year.
Kane arrives as the bookmakers’ favourite after a remarkable campaign for Bayern Munich, in which he scored 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions, powered Vincent Kompany’s side to the domestic treble and claimed a second European Golden Shoe. He is joined on the men’s shortlist by Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who won the Kopa Trophy in each of the past two editions and is now competing for the main prize, and by Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid, who helped Spain win the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America this summer. Reigning holder Ousmane Dembélé is nominated to defend his crown, while Lionel Messi — at 39 — has been included once more after a season that underscored his enduring influence at Inter Miami. Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes also earned his place after a standout club campaign. Paris Saint-Germain dominate the nominations, with several of their players included across multiple categories.
The women’s shortlist has been reshaped by injury. Three-time defending champion Aitana Bonmatí is absent after breaking her leg in November 2025, leaving the award without its dominant personality and opening the door for a new winner — potentially just the fifth different player to claim the prize. Barcelona striker Ewa Pajor and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw head a competitive field that also includes Arsenal’s Alessia Russo, England defender Alex Greenwood and Alexia Putellas, now representing London City Lionesses after leaving Barcelona during the summer. Club América’s Scarlett Camberos also features, marking a historic first — the only nominee from outside Europe in the women’s main category.
The Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper features a strong Iberian presence alongside a notable African contingent. Arsenal’s David Raya and Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois are among the early favourites, with Barcelona’s Joan García also considered a serious contender following a fine domestic season. African goalkeepers feature prominently on the shortlist, reflecting the continent’s growing influence in the position at the highest level.
For the Coach of the Year award, Mikel Arteta leads a field that includes Spain’s World Cup-winning coach Luis de la Fuente, Unai Emery for his work at Aston Villa, Luis Enrique at PSG and Vincent Kompany following Bayern Munich’s treble. On the women’s side, Jonatan Giráldez of OL Lyonnes and Manchester City Women’s Andrée Jeglertz have been recognised for their impact on the women’s game.
The Kopa Trophy — awarded to the best player aged 21 or under — features Yamal, Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery as the headline names in a generation of talent that has arrived at the highest level with startling speed.
In the club categories, Arsenal and PSG lead the men’s nominations alongside Bayern Munich, Norway’s Bodø/Glimt and Flamengo of Brazil. For the women, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, OL Lyonnes, Manchester City and Club América represent the five nominees.
The shortlists were announced throughout today, September 8, with voting now in the hands of an international jury of journalists representing the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations for the men’s award and 50 nations for the women’s. Each voter ranks ten players, assigning 15 points for their first choice and one for their tenth.
On October 26, the rankings are revealed in reverse order until the winner is named. Seventy years after Matthews lifted the first golden ball, London will witness the moment football crowns the best on the planet.
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