The 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony is being held at the London Palladium on Monday, October 26, 2026, according to NBC Sports, which is running live updates from the event. Harry Kane, the London-born forward, is the favorite to take the men's award as the world's best player for the year. England internationals Alex Greenwood and Alessia Russo are both nominated for the Ballon d'Or Feminin, and USWNT forward Rose Lavelle is also in contention for the top women's prize.
NBC Sports reports that the evening began with a pre-show at 2pm ET, with the main ceremony scheduled for 3pm ET. That start slipped, however: the broadcaster said the ceremony would not get under way until at least 4:30pm ET because heavy London traffic had delayed the arrival of some key players.
Why it matters
The Ballon d'Or remains the sport's most recognized individual honor, and this year's edition carries a strong English and North American flavor. A win for Kane would keep the men's trophy in the hands of a proven goalscorer after recent voting patterns that have rewarded different profiles of player. On the women's side, the presence of Greenwood, Russo and Lavelle — along with four players from NWSL clubs — reflects the growing weight of the American league in the global game. The ceremony also marks seven decades of the award, a milestone NBC Sports noted in its coverage.
The men's field and the Kane case
Kane's candidacy drew public backing during the red-carpet arrivals. One attendee, quoted by NBC Sports, said the choice among Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Kane was difficult because all three are outstanding, but singled out Kane's recent form: "Harry's had an amazing 18 months. His numbers are off the charts."
NBC Sports' own live commentary raised doubts about an Mbappe victory, noting that the French forward won no trophies over the past year and that his statistical output did not match Kane's. The broadcaster suggested that awarding him the prize would amount to a career recognition rather than a reward for the season just played.
Lionel Messi, the reigning winner, was not reported to be in the building, according to NBC Sports, though three reported finalists were present. The published list of nominees includes players from across Europe's leading clubs. Among those named were William Saliba of Arsenal and Sadio Mane of Al Nassr, tied at 29th; Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United at 27th; Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes of PSG; Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid at 17th; Declan Rice of Arsenal at 15th; and Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid at 11th. The top ten places were left blank in the source material.
NBC Sports also noted that voters have previously chosen Ousmane Dembele and Rodri, meaning past winners in the men's category should not be ruled out.
The women's race and a crowded ballot
The Ballon d'Or Feminin ballot is equally deep. Rose Lavelle of Gotham FC was listed 27th in the nominees, with Alex Greenwood of Manchester City at 26th. Four players from NWSL clubs feature among the names, a detail NBC Sports highlighted. The list also includes Barbra Banda of Orlando Pride at 18th, Wendie Renard of OL Lyonnes at 14th, Mariona Caldentey of Arsenal at 13th and Yui Hasegawa of Manchester City at 11th. As with the men's list, the top ten positions were not filled in the source material.
One nominee, a 32-year-old forward with 150 caps who recently moved from Barcelona to the London City Lionesses, is widely expected to reclaim the women's title, according to NBC Sports. Asked whether she had a speech ready, she said she had not, because the winner is unknown. "It's an amazing award. I'm delighted to be here in the football party. I'm very happy," she said, per NBC Sports.
Other categories still open
Beyond the two headline prizes, NBC Sports described the remaining categories as genuinely unsettled. The men's coach of the year shortlist comprises Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Luis de la Fuente of Spain, Unai Emery of Aston Villa, Vincent Kompany of Bayern Munich and Luis Enrique of PSG. The women's coaching nominees are Jonatan Giraldez of OL Lyonnes, Andree Jeglertz of Manchester City, Pere Romeu of Barcelona, Nils Nielsen of Japan and Elena Sadiku, listed with Celtic and BK Hacken.
The goalkeeper award features Yassine Bounou of Al Hilal, Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid, Joan Garcia of Barcelona, Gregor Kobel of Borussia Dortmund, Emiliano Martinez, Eduoard Mendy of Al Ahli, David Raya of Arsenal, Matvey Safonov of PSG and Unai Simon of Athletic Bilbao. On the women's side, the source material lists Ann-Katrin Berger of Gotham FC and Cata Coll of Barcelona among the names, with the remainder of that list cut off.
One coach on the men's shortlist, asked about his nomination, said he was grateful for the clubs and staff he has worked with and singled out his current role at Aston Villa as a step forward in his career. He said he would speak naturally about his experiences if called to the stage, rather than read from prepared remarks.
The top young player prize is also up for grabs, with Lamine Yamal among those in attendance at the Palladium.
What to watch
The winners in each category will be confirmed once the delayed ceremony gets under way; watch for whether Kane converts favoritism into the men's trophy and whether the expected women's frontrunner delivers the acceptance speech she said she had not written.
