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Ballon d'Or 2026: Main candidates and when it is awarded
🇦🇷 Argentina /Elections & Politics

Ballon d'Or 2026: Main candidates and when it is awarded

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The 2026 Ballon d'Or race is underway following the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season and the World Cup, with Ousmane Dembélé as the previous winner.
  • The award ceremony will take place on October 26 in London, with the jury comprising 100 journalists from top-ranked FIFA countries.
  • Several players, including Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, and Lionel Messi, are considered potential candidates, though no single favorite has emerged.

The race for the prestigious Ballon d'Or 2026 has officially begun, following the conclusion of the 2025-2026 football season and the recent World Cup. Ousmane Dembélé of France is the reigning champion, having won the award in the previous cycle. However, this year's nominees have not yet been officially announced, and Dembélé is not expected to be a top contender, though he might place in the Top 10 for his contributions to Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League win and France's fourth-place finish in the World Cup.

The award ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 26, at The London Palladium in London, England. France Football magazine, which has organized the award independently since its separation from FIFA in 2016, will recognize the best male and female footballers, as well as top coaches, goalkeepers, and under-21 players globally. The evaluation period for this year's award spans from July 2025 to July 19, 2026, encompassing the World Cup final.

For this year there is no undisputed favorite. In fact, everything indicates that there are at least eight players who will fight to win the Ballon d'Or.

Describing the competitive and uncertain landscape for the 2026 Ballon d'Or award.

This year's competition appears wide open, with no clear frontrunner. At least eight players are considered strong candidates on paper. These include Rodri (Manchester City), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Ousmane Dembélé (PSG), and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).

Assessing the favorites involves weighing individual performance against team success. Rodri, a World Cup winner, is a contender, though his club performances were not stellar. Lamine Yamal had a modest World Cup and Champions League run but was key in Barcelona's LaLiga title. Harry Kane excelled for Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga and leading scorer title, but fell short in the Champions League and World Cup semifinals. Kylian Mbappé, despite winning the World Cup Golden Boot and showcasing exceptional talent, did not secure titles with Real Madrid and finished fourth in the World Cup. Jude Bellingham is also noted for his strong performances with the England team.

Kane, for his part, tore it up with the Bavarian team, where he won the Bundesliga and was the top scorer with 36 goals in 31 games!, and also with the Three Lions, but was eliminated from the Champions League and the World Cup in the semifinals.

Highlighting Harry Kane's strong individual performance despite his team's lack of major trophies in key competitions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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