Ballon d’Or 2026: Nominees Announcement Date Revealed
The race for the Ballon d’Or is about to enter its decisive stage, with the contenders for football’s biggest individual prize set to be revealed soon.
The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is about to enter its decisive stage. France Football has confirmed that the nominees for the 70th edition of the prestigious award will be revealed on Tuesday, September 8, less than two months before the winners are crowned.
That day, the 30 nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or and 30 contenders for the women’s award will be unveiled, officially setting the stage for a race shaped by a season that included the biggest club competitions and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The nominees will be announced between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM Central European Time across the official Ballon d’Or platforms. The candidates for the other awards presented during the ceremony will also be revealed.
Much more than the Ballon d’Or
The ceremony will not be limited to the two main Ballon d’Or trophies. The September 8 announcement will also reveal the nominees for awards recognizing the best young players, goalkeepers, coaches, goalscorers and clubs across both the men’s and women’s game.
Once the nominees are confirmed, the voting process will determine the winners. For the men’s award, journalists representing the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings take part, while the women’s Ballon d’Or is decided by representatives from the top 50 nations.
The criteria include individual performances and decisive contributions, collective achievements and fair play. Each journalist ranks 10 players, with points awarded according to their position on the ballot.
London prepares for a historic ceremony
The main ceremony will take place on Monday, October 26 in London, a special decision made to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or. It will mark the first time the British capital has hosted the event.
England’s selection also carries significant historical meaning. Sir Stanley Matthews, one of English football’s greatest figures, became the inaugural winner when France Football created the Ballon d’Or in 1956. Taking the ceremony to London seven decades later will serve as a tribute to the man who first lifted the prestigious award.
The event will therefore temporarily leave Paris for a symbolic anniversary edition celebrating the best players from the 2025/26 season.
Who will succeed Dembélé and Bonmatí?
The two biggest prizes currently belong to Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí. Dembélé claimed the men’s Ballon d’Or in 2025, while Bonmatí once again captured the top honor in the women’s game.
Now the race to find their successors is about to begin. First comes the unveiling of the nominees on September 8, followed by weeks of debate over who deserves to take home football’s most prestigious individual award.
The wait will finally end on October 26, when the Ballon d’Or celebrates its 70th anniversary by crowning the new kings and queens of world football.
