Ballon d’Or 2026: London to host ceremony for first time in tribute to Stanley Matthews

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will leave Paris for the first time in 2026, with London chosen to host the 70th edition of football’s most prestigious individual awards.

The event will take place on Monday, 26 October at the London Palladium, the famous theatre in central London. It will be the first time the venue has hosted the Ballon d’Or presentation.

The decision is intended to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the first-ever recipient of the award. Created by the French magazine France Football in 1956, the Ballon d’Or was initially won by Matthews, who was playing for Blackpool at the time.

Seventy years after that inaugural award, UEFA wants to recognise the English football great by staging the anniversary ceremony in his home country. According to UEFA, London was selected primarily for symbolic reasons linked to Matthews and the history of the prize.

France Football and UEFA have jointly organised the Ballon d’Or since 2024. The move to London therefore represents a significant change from the event’s customary setting in Paris, although it is not the first time the ceremony has been held outside France.

Between 2010 and 2015, the awards were presented in Zurich, Switzerland, as part of a partnership with FIFA. Paris subsequently resumed its traditional role as host.

There is no indication that the French capital has been ruled out for future ceremonies. L’Equipe, which belongs to the same media group as France Football, has described the switch to London as a temporary move.

The choice of England is principally connected with the 70th anniversary of the award and the tribute to Matthews. However, it remains possible that future editions could also be staged outside France.

The 2026 ceremony will consequently mark two milestones in the history of the Ballon d’Or: the prize’s 70th anniversary and its first presentation in London.

The winners will be announced on 26 October, when it will be revealed who succeeds Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati in the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or honours.