The Ballon d’Or 2026 winner will be announced tonight, Monday 26 October 2026, at the London Palladium. The ceremony starts at 8pm GMT, which is 9pm in Nigeria. Harry Kane is the bookmakers’ favourite, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, while Alexia Putellas leads the race for the women’s prize.
TL;DR
- When: Monday 26 October 2026, 9pm WAT (8pm GMT). The red carpet runs from 7pm to 8:40pm WAT.
- Where: London Palladium, the first Ballon d’Or ceremony ever held in London.
- Hosts: Thierry Henry and Kate Scott.
- Favourite: Harry Kane (4/9), then Kylian Mbappé (13/8) and Lamine Yamal (8/1).
- Holder: Ousmane Dembélé (men) and Aitana Bonmatí (women), who is injured and not on the 2026 list.
- Watch in Nigeria: SuperSport (DStv channel 203) and DStv Stream.
- African angle: Sadio Mané and Achraf Hakimi are on the 30-man shortlist.
Ballon d’Or 2026: Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday 26 October 2026 |
| Time in Nigeria | 9pm WAT (8pm GMT, 9pm CET) |
| Red carpet | 7pm–8:40pm WAT |
| Venue | London Palladium Theatre, London |
| Edition | 70th Ballon d’Or |
| Hosts | Thierry Henry and Kate Scott |
| Men’s favourite | Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) |
| Women’s favourite | Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses, Spain) |
| Odds (The Independent, 26 Oct 2026) | Kane 4/9, Mbappé 13/8, Yamal 8/1, Messi 40/1, Kvaratskhelia 100/1 |
| TV in Nigeria | SuperSport (DStv 203), DStv Stream |
Who Will Win the Ballon d’Or 2026?
Harry Kane is the most likely Ballon d’Or 2026 winner, according to the bookmakers on ceremony day. The Independent quoted him at 4/9 on Monday afternoon. Oddschecker prices, published by TNT Sports at 2pm GMT, had him at 8/11, which shows the market moving towards Mbappé during the day.
The vote rewards the 2025-26 season. That season ended with the 2026 World Cup, which Spain won. So jurors weigh club goals against international success, and that tension decides tonight’s race.
The Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees: The Main Contenders
France Football and UEFA named 30 men and 30 women. Three former winners appear on the men’s list: eight-time winner Lionel Messi, holder Ousmane Dembélé and 2024 winner Rodri. Here are the players who matter most tonight.
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England) – the favourite
Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England in 2025-26, the most of any player at a European club. He topped the Bundesliga scoring charts for a third straight season and won the league and cup double. He then led England to a bronze medal at the World Cup, their best finish since 1966. A win would make him the first Englishman to take the award in 25 years. The case against him is simple: he has no Champions League or World Cup medal. For his club rivals’ form this season, check our latest football injury updates.
Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France) – the closest challenger
Mbappé scored 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid and won the World Cup Golden Boot with 10 goals. That haul made him the tournament’s all-time top scorer. Real Madrid won no major trophy, which hurts him with jurors. He still arrives in London in form after scoring twice in Sunday’s (25 October) Clásico win at Camp Nou for José Mourinho’s side. Our Real Madrid news page and Mbappé transfer tracker cover his season, and you can see where he sits among the highest goal scorers at the World Cup.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain) – the World Cup winner
Yamal, 19, finished second in 2025 and has already won the Kopa Trophy twice. He scored 24 goals and made 18 assists for Barcelona as they won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. He then won the World Cup with Spain. The BBC described Yamal and Kane as “very close together” in the betting on Monday morning, but his price drifted after Barcelona lost the Clásico. Read our Lamine Yamal salary and net worth guide and our profile of his coach, Hansi Flick at Barcelona.
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina) – the outsider
Messi, 39, is back on the shortlist for the first time in three years after he guided Argentina to the World Cup final, where they lost to Spain. He also won a first MLS Cup with Inter Miami. Bookmakers rate him a 40/1 outsider for a ninth title. His off-pitch numbers are in our Messi net worth breakdown.
The rest of the shortlist to watch
- William Saliba (Arsenal): 60 matches and a Premier League title. Teammates Declan Rice and Gabriel also made the list. Follow the club on our Arsenal breaking news page.
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG): 24 goals and 10 assists in 57 matches, plus the Champions League (see the Champions League 2026-27 table for PSG’s current form). A season-ending knee injury kept him out of the World Cup. His Champions League rivalry with Barcelona is covered in this PSG vs Barcelona head-to-head.
- Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): 13 goals and 25 assists in 51 matches, but no trophy.
- Rodri and Dembélé: both former winners, with Rodri named best player at the World Cup.
- Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid): both nominated again; catch up on Vinícius in our Vinícius ban explainer.
The African Angle: Mané, Hakimi and More
Sadio Mané gives Nigerian and African fans a clear reason to watch. The Senegal forward scored 24 goals and made 13 assists in 55 matches and won the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr. He finished second in the 2022 vote. Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi (PSG) is also on the men’s list.
Africa features in the other awards too:
- Yashin Trophy: Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and Édouard Mendy (Senegal).
- Kopa Trophy: Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast), Ibrahim Maza (Algeria) and Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco).
- Women’s Ballon d’Or: Barbra Banda (Zambia) and Temwa Chawinga (Malawi).
Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026
Alexia Putellas is the favourite to win a third Women’s Ballon d’Or. She captained Barcelona to a quadruple in 2025-26, including the Champions League, before joining London City Lionesses. Holder Aitana Bonmatí misses out through injury. Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw, Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor are the main threats.
Other Awards Tonight: Kopa, Yashin, Gerd Müller and Cruyff
The organisers present 13 prizes tonight. These are the main ones after the Ballon d’Or itself:
| Award | What it rewards | 2025 winner | 2026 names to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kopa Trophy (men) | Best under-21 player | Lamine Yamal | Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Warren Zaïre-Emery |
| Kopa Trophy (women) | Best under-21 player | Vicky López | López, Clara Serrajordi, Lily Yohannes |
| Yashin Trophy (men) | Best goalkeeper | Gianluigi Donnarumma | David Raya, Thibaut Courtois, Joan García |
| Yashin Trophy (women) | Best goalkeeper | Hannah Hampton | Hampton, Cata Coll, Ann-Katrin Berger |
| Gerd Müller Trophy | Top scorer of the season | Viktor Gyökeres / Ewa Pajor | Kane leads the men’s goal count |
| Johan Cruyff Trophy (men) | Coach of the year | Luis Enrique | Arteta, De la Fuente, Emery, Kompany, Luis Enrique |
| Club of the Year | Best club | PSG / Arsenal Women | Arsenal are nominated in the men’s category |
The Sócrates Award, for social work by a player, is also presented.
How to Watch the Ballon d’Or 2026 in Nigeria
You can watch the ceremony live in Nigeria from 9pm WAT on SuperSport (DStv channel 203) or on the DStv Stream app. DAZN is the global streaming partner in territories without a named broadcaster. If you use DAZN, check before 9pm that the event shows in your app.
The evening runs in this order (all times WAT):
- 5pm onwards: rankings 30 to 11 released on ballondor.com.
- 7pm–8:40pm: red carpet arrivals.
- 9pm–11pm: the ceremony. The men’s Ballon d’Or is traditionally the final award.
- 11:30pm: winners’ press conference.
Ballon d’Or 2026 Odds and Our Prediction
| Player | The Independent (26 Oct) | Oddschecker via TNT Sports (26 Oct, 2pm GMT) |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 4/9 | 8/11 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 13/8 | 9/4 |
| Lamine Yamal | 8/1 | 17/2 |
| Lionel Messi | 40/1 | 66/1 |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | 100/1 | – |
Our prediction: Harry Kane wins the Ballon d’Or 2026, with Mbappé second and Yamal third. Kane’s 73 goals give jurors the strongest individual case, and the lack of a trophy for Mbappé’s Real Madrid weighs more than Kane’s missing European medal. Yamal is the value pick if jurors reward the World Cup above everything else.
For tonight’s women’s award, we back Alexia Putellas. For the weekend’s match tips, see our correct football prediction page, and for the latest Clásico context, read our Barcelona vs Real Madrid head-to-head.
18+ only. Bet responsibly. Award markets can move fast on ceremony day. Compare bookmakers first with our 8xbet vs SportyBet review, set a budget, never chase losses, and seek help if gambling stops being fun.
Sources (2026)
- UEFA – 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony: when and where, all the nominees
- BBC Sport – Ballon d’Or 2026: date, start time, favourites and nominees
- The Independent – Ballon d’Or 2026: start time, odds, how to watch
- ESPN – Thierry Henry to host 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London
Information updated as of 26 October 2026, 6:30pm WAT.
FAQ
Who won the first Ballon d’Or?
England winger Stanley Matthews won the first Ballon d’Or in 1956 while playing for Blackpool. France Football created the award that year, and the 2026 ceremony is held in London partly as a tribute to him.
Has an African player ever won the Ballon d’Or?
Yes. Liberia’s George Weah is the only African winner. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1995 while playing for AC Milan, the first year non-European players became eligible.
Who votes for the Ballon d’Or?
Journalists vote. One journalist from each of the top 100 nations in the FIFA men’s ranking votes for the men’s award, and one from each of the top 50 nations in the women’s ranking votes for the women’s award. Each juror ranks 10 players.
Which English players have won the Ballon d’Or?
Four English players have won it: Stanley Matthews (1956), Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979) and Michael Owen (2001).
