An Unexpected Absence

On Monday, September 22, the 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, but one of the main stars of the season won’t be there: Paris Saint-Germain. Despite having several nominees on the list, the French champions will skip the event due to a scheduling clash that cannot be solved.

The French Classique against Olympique de Marseille, originally scheduled for September 21, was postponed because of heavy rain in Marseille. The new date now coincides exactly with the Ballon d’Or gala, forcing PSG to miss football’s most prestigious night.

The Impact on Dembélé

The absence is particularly striking because one of the top favorites is Ousmane Dembélé, the PSG star who led the club to win the Champions League, Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophée des Champions. With 35 goals and 16 assists in the 2024/25 season, he’s among the strongest contenders for the award.

Yet, Dembélé won’t be surrounded by his teammates if he attends what could be the most important night of his career. Currently injured and unavailable for the Marseille match, there’s still a chance he could appear at the gala individually.

A Gala Without Paris

PSG’s absence stands out even more given its weight in this year’s nominations. Unlike Real Madrid, which continues its boycott as a form of protest, PSG’s no-show is entirely due to sporting reasons: their biggest domestic fixture happens to clash with the Ballon d’Or.

The result will be a gala missing the official presence of the club that conquered Europe in 2025, leaving football’s grandest stage without the champions of the season.