Ballon d’Or 2026: official nominees announced ahead of first London ceremony

France Football, in collaboration with UEFA, has officially begun announcing the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, following an outstanding season that produced intense competition between the leading players in world football.

The Ballon d’Or is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in the sport. The final list of 30 nominees is being revealed in stages, with the names set to be published as they are announced.

This year’s race has attracted particular interest after a campaign featuring major events across European domestic competitions, the UEFA Champions League and the 2026 World Cup. A large number of prominent players produced notable performances, making the contest one of the most closely fought in recent years.

The nominations follow months of monitoring and assessment of players’ contributions for both their clubs and national teams. The award takes into account performances during the completed season, including trophies won, individual statistics and a player’s technical influence on the pitch.

The first announcement concerned the women’s Club of the Year award. Barcelona were named as the first nominee after winning Liga F and the UEFA Women’s Champions League. They will compete against UEFA Women’s Champions League runners-up Bayern Munich and English club Manchester City.

The official nomination post read: “Nominated for the 2026 Women’s Club of the Year”.

The remaining nominees for the individual Ballon d’Or award are being announced successively. The organisers said the names would be followed and reported as they are released.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded annually to the best player in the world following a vote by a panel of sports journalists representing countries from around the globe. Voters assess a number of factors, with individual and team performances, sportsmanship and consistency throughout the season among the principal criteria.

The 2026 ceremony is scheduled to take place on 26 October in London. It will be the first time in the history of the award that the event has been staged in the English capital.

As well as revealing the winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or, the ceremony will recognise the winners of the other individual and team awards. These include the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper, the Kopa Trophy for the best young player, and awards for the best manager and best club.

The announcement is expected to attract worldwide attention, as the Ballon d’Or remains the leading measure of individual excellence in football. The award continues to generate significant interest from supporters and the media, particularly when the sport’s biggest names are competing for its most valuable individual honour.

The 2026 selection process comes after a season in which success at club and international level provided several players with strong claims. Domestic league campaigns across Europe, the UEFA Champions League and the 2026 World Cup all contributed to the wider debate over who should be recognised, while the final outcome will be determined by the international journalists’ vote.