The 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees are almost here. France Football revealed the shortlists for the 70th edition in early September, and the ceremony follows on October 26, 2026. Below is when the nominees land, the reigning winners to beat, the early contenders, and how the voting works. You will find both full 30-player shortlists below.
Last updated: September 8, 2026.
2026 Ballon d’Or: Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Edition | 70th Ballon d’Or |
| Ceremony date | Monday, October 26, 2026 |
| Host city | London |
| Nominees announced | Early September 2026 |
| Shortlist size | 30 men and 30 women |
| Reigning men’s winner | Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) |
| Reigning women’s winner | Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona) |
When Are the 2026 Ballon d’Or Nominees Announced?
France Football reveals the shortlists in early September, ahead of the October 26 ceremony. Two lists are published: 30 nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or and 30 for the women’s. Separate shortlists follow for the Kopa Trophy (best under-21), the Yashin Trophy (best goalkeeper) and the club and coach awards.
2026 Ballon d’Or Nominees (Full Shortlists)
France Football revealed both 30-player shortlists on September 8, 2026. The winners are crowned at the ceremony in London on October 26, 2026. Want to play along at home? Grab the printable predictor below, circle your pick in each race, and see how you did when the results land on October 26.
Men’s Ballon d’Or 2026 Shortlist (30 Nominees)
| Rank | Player | Club | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | England |
| 2 | Pau Cubarsí | Barcelona | Spain |
| 3 | Marc Cucurella | Chelsea / Real Madrid | Spain |
| 4 | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain | France |
| 5 | Luis Díaz | Bayern Munich | Colombia |
| 6 | Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United | Portugal |
| 7 | Gabriel | Arsenal | Brazil |
| 8 | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Norway |
| 9 | Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | Morocco |
| 10 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | England |
| 11 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Paris Saint-Germain | Georgia |
| 12 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Spain |
| 13 | Sadio Mané | Al Nassr | Senegal |
| 14 | Marquinhos | Paris Saint-Germain | Brazil |
| 15 | Lautaro Martínez | Inter Milan | Argentina |
| 16 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | France |
| 17 | Nuno Mendes | Paris Saint-Germain | Portugal |
| 18 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | Argentina |
| 19 | João Neves | Paris Saint-Germain | Portugal |
| 20 | Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | France |
| 21 | Willian Pacho | Paris Saint-Germain | Ecuador |
| 22 | Julián Quiñones | Al Qadsiah | Mexico |
| 23 | Declan Rice | Arsenal | England |
| 24 | Rodri | Manchester City / Barcelona | Spain |
| 25 | Fabián Ruiz | Paris Saint-Germain | Spain |
| 26 | William Saliba | Arsenal | France |
| 27 | Ferran Torres | Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain | Spain |
| 28 | Dayot Upamecano | Bayern Munich | France |
| 29 | Vinícius Júnior | Real Madrid | Brazil |
| 30 | Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain | Portugal |
Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026 Shortlist (30 Nominees)
| Rank | Player | Club | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selma Bacha | OL Lyonnes | France |
| 2 | Barbra Banda | Orlando Pride | Zambia |
| 3 | Klara Bühl | Bayern Munich | Germany |
| 4 | Esmee Brugts | Barcelona | Netherlands |
| 5 | Mariona Caldentey | Arsenal | Spain |
| 6 | Scarlett Camberos | Club América | United States |
| 7 | Kerstin Casparij | Manchester City | Netherlands |
| 8 | Temwa Chawinga | Kansas City Current | Malawi |
| 9 | Cata Coll | Barcelona | Spain |
| 10 | Melchie Dumornay | OL Lyonnes | Haiti |
| 11 | Caroline Graham Hansen | Barcelona | Norway |
| 12 | Alex Greenwood | Manchester City | England |
| 13 | Patri Guijarro | Barcelona | Spain |
| 14 | Pernille Harder | Bayern Munich | Denmark |
| 15 | Yui Hasegawa | Manchester City | Japan |
| 16 | Rose Lavelle | Gotham FC | United States |
| 17 | Mapi León | Barcelona / London City Lionesses | Spain |
| 18 | Lorena | Kansas City Current | Brazil |
| 19 | Melvine Malard | Manchester United / Chelsea | France |
| 20 | Manaka Matsukubo | North Carolina Courage / Chelsea | Japan |
| 21 | Vivianne Miedema | Manchester City | Netherlands |
| 22 | Ewa Pajor | Barcelona | Poland |
| 23 | Clàudia Pina | Barcelona | Spain |
| 24 | Alexia Putellas | Barcelona / London City Lionesses | Spain |
| 25 | Wendie Renard | OL Lyonnes | France |
| 26 | Alessia Russo | Arsenal | England |
| 27 | Khadija Shaw | Manchester City | Jamaica |
| 28 | Momoko Tanikawa | Bayern Munich | Japan |
| 29 | Caroline Weir | Real Madrid / OL Lyonnes | Scotland |
| 30 | Tessa Wullaert | Inter Milan / Como | Belgium |
Reigning Winners: 2025 Ballon d’Or
Ousmane Dembélé won the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or after a treble-winning season with Paris Saint-Germain, and Aitana Bonmatí took the women’s award for Barcelona. The 2025 top fives:
Men’s (2025)
| Rank | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 2 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona |
| 3 | Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 4 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool |
| 5 | Raphinha | Barcelona |
Women’s (2025)
| Rank | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aitana Bonmatí | Barcelona |
| 2 | Mariona Caldentey | Arsenal |
| 3 | Alessia Russo | Arsenal |
| 4 | Alexia Putellas | Barcelona |
| 5 | Chloe Kelly | Arsenal |
Early Contenders to Watch
Before the shortlist lands, the names most in the mix on the men’s side include Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah and Raphinha, based on last season’s finish and current club form. On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey, Alessia Russo and Alexia Putellas headline the early conversation. This is pre-shortlist expectation, not the official list – we will update once nominees are confirmed.
How Ballon d’Or Voting Works
The Ballon d’Or is voted on by a panel of specialist football journalists, one per country from the top-ranked nations in the FIFA rankings. Each voter picks their top 10, with points weighted by placing. Awards are judged on individual performances and decisive impact over the season, team achievements and titles, and class and fair play. The player with the most points wins.
Ballon d’Or History
For every past winner going back to 1956, see our full Ballon d’Or winners list.
2026 Ballon d’Or FAQ
When is the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony?
The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony is on Monday, October 26, 2026, in London.
When are the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees announced?
The 30-man and 30-woman shortlists are announced by France Football in early September 2026.
Who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or?
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain) won the men’s award and Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona) won the women’s.
