Mbappe and Yamal face an open 2026 Ballon d’Or race under revised voting rules

The 2026 Ballon d’Or organisers have reiterated that individual performance and decisive contributions will take precedence over team trophies, keeping Kylian Mbappe firmly in contention despite his failure to win either the World Cup or the Champions League.

The reminder, issued on 9 August, came only three weeks after the World Cup final and could have a significant influence on a race shaped by a season featuring both the global tournament and European club football’s biggest prize.

According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, the organisers restated the voting criteria for the 2026 awards, underlining that individual quality, match-winning influence and spectacular performances rank ahead of collective honours.

The regulations were adopted by France Football in March 2022. Before that change, the process placed greater emphasis on a combination of individual and team achievements.

Voting will begin after the shortlists are announced next Tuesday. The lists will contain 30 male players and 30 female players, while the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on 26 October.

The assessment period now covers the entire football season, from August to July, rather than the calendar year. That means the whole of the 2026 World Cup will be included in the voting.

There is no rule giving goals scored in finals or Champions League matches an automatic weighting advantage. However, the emphasis on being “decisive and spectacular” clearly benefits players who produce their best performances in high-profile matches.

Rodri offers one example of how the criteria could be applied. He was named the World Cup’s best player after appearing in all eight of Spain’s matches. In the final against Argentina, he completed 101 of his 105 passes, won 80% of his duels and created two chances.

Mbappe, meanwhile, has a strong individual case. Although he did not win the World Cup or the Champions League, he finished as the leading scorer in both competitions. He scored 10 goals in eight World Cup appearances and 15 goals in 11 Champions League matches.

At club level, UEFA named Khvicha Kvaratskhelia the Champions League’s best player after Paris Saint-Germain won the competition. He scored 10 goals and supplied six assists in 16 matches.

His Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Vitinha was selected as the player of the final against Arsenal, despite not scoring. His control of midfield and influence over the match were cited as the reasons for the award.

Ousmane Dembele is also expected to feature in the discussion. He scored Paris Saint-Germain’s equaliser in the Champions League final and finished the World Cup with six goals and two assists for France. Fabian Ruiz, another Paris Saint-Germain player, is also in contention after helping his team win both the European and world titles.

Lamine Yamal has another compelling claim, according to Sport. He was named La Liga’s best player for 2025-26 after helping Barcelona win the title, contributing 16 goals and 12 assists. His full campaign will be assessed, including his Champions League performances and his involvement with Spain at the World Cup.

Ferran Torres provides a particularly clear example of the importance of decisive moments. He scored the winning goal against Argentina in the 106th minute of the World Cup final, securing Spain’s second world title. He became only the second substitute to score a winning goal in a World Cup final, following Mario Gotze in 2014.

One moment alone will not decide the Ballon d’Or, but goals that alter the outcome of finals will form part of the assessment of how influential a player has been throughout the season.

The organisers’ 9 August reminder could therefore prove significant. Winning the World Cup or the Champions League will not automatically guarantee an advantage. Voters must first determine who performed best individually and who was most influential when the biggest matches were at stake.

That balance could ultimately decide the winner when the 2026 Ballon d’Or is presented in London on 26 October.

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