The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be handed out on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at the London Palladium, with the main ceremony starting at 8 p.m. in London (4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT in the U.S.). In the U.S. and most other countries, the official broadcaster is DAZN. England captain Harry Kane goes in as the bookmakers’ favorite for the men’s award, with Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal his closest rival, while Alexia Putellas leads the women’s race.
This year’s show is the 70th edition of soccer’s most famous individual prize and the first ever held in London. Here are the times, the channels, the main contenders and how the voting works.
When Is the 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony?
According to UEFA, the ceremony takes place at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday, Oct. 26, starting at 20:00 GMT (21:00 CET). The official Ballon d’Or site sets out the evening like this (London time):
- Afternoon: Places 30 to 11 in the men’s and women’s rankings are revealed
- 6:00 p.m. to 7:40 p.m.: Red carpet arrivals
- 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.: Official ceremony
- From 10:30 p.m.: Winners’ press conference
Start Times Around the World
- U.S. East Coast (New York, Miami): 4 p.m. ET
- U.S. West Coast (Los Angeles): 1 p.m. PT
- Mexico City: 2 p.m.
- Brazil (Brasília): 5 p.m.
- Paris, Madrid, Berlin: 9 p.m.
- India: 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27
- China: 4 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27
- Japan: 5 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27
A note on U.S. times: some schedules list the start as 3 p.m. ET and noon PT. That doesn’t account for the clock change. The U.K. left summer time on Oct. 25, but the U.S. doesn’t fall back until Nov. 1. For this one week, London is only four hours ahead of New York instead of five, so 8 p.m. in London is 4 p.m. Eastern. If you plan to catch the red carpet, it starts at 2 p.m. ET.
How to Watch the Ballon d’Or 2026
UEFA’s broadcast partner list names DAZN as the global broadcaster in every territory without its own local deal. The U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and India aren’t on the list of exceptions, so DAZN is where to watch there. The official site says viewers in most countries can watch for free on DAZN after a simple sign-up.
Countries with their own broadcasters include:
- France and Monaco: L’Équipe (free-to-air TV, plus a free stream on L’Équipe’s website and app)
- Spain: Telefónica
- Türkiye: Türk Telekom
- Norway: TV2
- Czechia and Slovakia: TV Nova
- Hungary: RTL Hungary
- Bulgaria: bTV
- Romania: Clever Media
Ballondor.com will also carry live results, analysis and stats from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. London time. If you’re keeping track of other big games this week, see our guides on how to watch the 2026 World Series and how to watch the 2026-27 NBA season.
Who Is the Favorite to Win the Men’s Ballon d’Or?
Sky Sports and the Evening Standard both report that Harry Kane has passed Lamine Yamal as the bookmakers’ favorite. Kylian Mbappé is next. Bookmaker prices are only a guide, though. Voting is already closed, and nobody outside the organizers knows the result.
Harry Kane (England, Bayern Munich)
Kane’s case is built on goals. Bundesliga.com’s season breakdown shows he scored 73 goals in 65 games for Bayern and England in 2025-26: 36 in the Bundesliga, 10 in the German Cup, 14 in the Champions League and 12 for England. That included six at the World Cup, where England finished third, their best result since 1966. Bayern won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Supercup, and Kane won the European Golden Shoe.
The BBC points out that among players at clubs in Europe’s top five leagues, only Lionel Messi has scored more for club and country in one season (82 in 2011-12). The main argument against Kane is that he won neither of the biggest trophies. Bayern went out of the Champions League in the semifinals to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, and recent Ballon d’Or winners have nearly always won a major title that year. If Kane wins, he’ll be the first Englishman to take the award since Michael Owen in 2001.
Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Yamal’s case rests on trophies. ESPN reports that he had 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 games. At 19, he won his third La Liga title, where he was also named the league’s best player, plus the Spanish Super Cup and the World Cup with Spain. Yamal won the award for the best young men’s player in 2025, then known as the Kopa Trophy. A win on Monday would make him the youngest men’s Ballon d’Or winner ever.
Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid)
ESPN’s numbers show Mbappé scored 58 goals with 13 assists in 60 games and became the World Cup’s all-time top scorer. However, neither Real Madrid nor France won a major title, and that has usually counted against players in this vote.
Three former winners are on the 30-man shortlist: holder Ousmane Dembélé, 2024 winner Rodri and eight-time winner Lionel Messi.
Who Will Win the Women’s Ballon d’Or?
Sky Sports describes Spain’s Alexia Putellas as the clear frontrunner for the women’s award, with her former Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor among those closest behind her. Putellas won in 2021 and 2022 and is the only former winner on this year’s 30-player women’s shortlist. Last year’s winner, Aitana Bonmatí, isn’t one of the 30 nominees, so there will be a new holder.
What Other Awards Will Be Handed Out?
The night also includes men’s and women’s awards for Young Talent of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year, Striker of the Year and Club of the Year, plus the Sócrates Award for charity and community work. Thierry Henry and sports presenter Kate Scott are hosting.
- Men’s Coach of the Year nominees: Mikel Arteta, Luis de la Fuente, Unai Emery, Vincent Kompany and Luis Enrique
- Men’s Club of the Year nominees: Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bodø/Glimt, Flamengo and Paris Saint-Germain
- Women’s Club of the Year nominees: Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Club América, Manchester City and OL Lyonnes
How Is the Ballon d’Or Decided?
The award covers the 2025-26 season, from Aug. 3, 2025, to the World Cup final on July 19, 2026. Anything that’s happened since then counts toward the 2027 award. Sky Sports explains that voting is done by a jury of journalists. There is one for each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s rankings and one for each of the top 50 in the women’s rankings.
Each juror ranks 10 players from the 30-player shortlist. The rankings earn 15, 12, 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points, and the player with the most points wins. Voters judge players on three things, in this order:
- Individual performances and decisive, impressive character
- Team performances and titles won
- Class and fair play
Why Is the Ballon d’Or in London This Year?
The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football magazine in 1956. UEFA says the 70th edition is in London to honor the first winner, England’s Stanley Matthews.
FAQ
What time is the Ballon d’Or 2026 in the U.S.?
The ceremony starts at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT on Monday, Oct. 26. The red carpet starts at 2 p.m. ET.
Can I watch the Ballon d’Or for free?
The official Ballon d’Or site says that in most countries you can watch for free on DAZN after signing up. In France, L’Équipe shows it free on TV and online.
Who won the Ballon d’Or in 2025?
Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain won the men’s award and Aitana Bonmatí of Barcelona won the women’s award.
Who has won the most Ballon d’Or awards?
Lionel Messi has a record eight. Cristiano Ronaldo is second with five.
Featured image: The London Palladium, venue of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Photo by MrsEllacott via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped).
