The 2026 Ballon d'Or is being awarded at the London Palladium Theatre on the evening of Monday 26 October, with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal regarded as the leading contenders, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Italian newspaper describes this year's edition as the most uncertain in recent years. The ceremony marks the award's 70th anniversary and is being held in London rather than Paris.
The event was pushed back by 30 minutes, with organisers announcing a start at 21:30 Italian time. The men's winner is now expected to be named at around 23:16 Italian time, per La Gazzetta dello Sport. The ceremony is being broadcast by DAZN, with the newspaper running live text coverage.
Why it matters
Kane, the England captain, is the bookmakers' favourite going into the night, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. A win would make him the first English Ballon d'Or recipient since Michael Owen in 2001. The Bayern Munich forward arrived at the venue with club teammates Luis Díaz and Michael Olise and drew applause inside the theatre, while children waiting outside the building sought autographs as he stepped off the team bus.
Yamal, 19, is also in contention after a year in which he won the World Cup with Spain, though the tournament's best player award went to Rodri. If Yamal were to take the prize, he would replace Ronaldo Nazário as the youngest winner in the award's history. Mbappé, who finished as the World Cup's top scorer, has seen his odds shorten sharply with English bookmakers, and La Gazzetta dello Sport reports the race is now a head-to-head between him and Kane, with Yamal behind them.
The evening also carries weight for Real Madrid, which is attending the ceremony again after a two-year boycott. Mbappé's entrance drew loud reaction from spectators in the theatre's upper tiers, who called his name as he took his seat with the club delegation.
The shortlist and the names already placed
La Gazzetta dello Sport lists a top ten whose final order has yet to be confirmed: Ousmane Dembélé and Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain, Erling Haaland of Manchester City, Kane, Yamal, Mbappé, Lionel Messi of Inter Miami, Olise, Rodri and Fabián Ruiz of PSG.
Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, sits just outside that group in 11th place, according to the newspaper. The only Serie A player on the list is Inter's Lautaro Martínez, who is placed 22nd. La Gazzetta dello Sport notes that Martínez followed a title-winning season with Inter with a strong World Cup for Argentina.
The newspaper also reports the names occupying positions 29 to 24: Sadio Mané, William Saliba, Julián Quiñones, Bruno Fernandes, Dayot Upamecano, Marquinhos and Luis Díaz.
Messi's absence from the ceremony has been read as a sign he will not be the winner, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports. The eight-time recipient chose not to attend.
The newspaper also notes an oddity from the award's official website, where three separate articles appeared naming Kane, Yamal and Mbappé as the winner.
A red carpet of former winners
The Palladium, which opened in 1910 and seats more than 2,200 people, is one of the West End theatres near Oxford Circus. The street outside was pedestrianised along one stretch from Monday, and crowds had gathered from around 15:00 Italian time to watch the red carpet being prepared.
Ronaldo Nazário, still the youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history, spoke to DAZN before the ceremony and confirmed he would present the trophy without knowing who had won it. Asked about Ronaldinho returning to play, he said it was too late, and added that he would follow the derby from his sofa.
Among the former players on the red carpet were Andriy Shevchenko, Peter Schmeichel, Michael Owen, Javier Zanetti, Luís Figo, Unai Emery, Gary Lineker, Jamie Carragher, Claude Makélélé, Alan Shearer, Patrick Vieira, Robbie Keane and Sol Campbell, along with Rafa Benítez.
The night's programme also includes the women's Ballon d'Or, the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player, the Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers, the Gerd Müller Trophy for forwards, the Socrates Award, and prizes for coach and club of the season.
The winner of the men's award is expected to be announced shortly before midnight Italian time, with the full ranking to follow.
