The Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony takes place tonight at the London Palladium. It starts at 8:00 p.m. GMT, which is 9:00 p.m. Nigerian time. So, who will win? Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are the names most often tipped as frontrunners in the men’s race.
Ceremony at a glance
| Date | Monday, 26 October 2026 |
| Venue | London Palladium, London |
| Start time | 8:00 p.m. GMT (9:00 p.m. Nigerian time) |
| Red carpet | 6:00 p.m. UK time (7:00 p.m. Nigerian time) |
| Hosts | Thierry Henry and Kate Scott |
| Performers | Jorja Smith and French Montana |
| Reigning winners | Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí |
This is the 70th edition, and it is the first held outside France. London hosts it to honour Sir Stanley Matthews, the first winner in 1956. The award covers performances from 3 August 2025 to 19 July 2026. A journalist from each of the top 100 ranked countries votes for the men’s prize.
Kane, who plays for Bayern Munich, leads many lists. Yamal, the Barcelona forward, is also in the Young Talent race. Mbappé, of Real Madrid, completes the trio. However, a vote can spring surprises. Dembélé, the reigning winner, is among the 30 nominees. So are Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior, Michael Olise and Lionel Messi.
In the women’s race, Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas is the favourite to win a third time, Al Jazeera reports. She won in 2021 and 2022. Aitana Bonmatí won last year.
Nigerian fans will not see a Nigerian on either shortlist. African nominees include Achraf Hakimi, Sadio Mané, Barbra Banda and Temwa Chawinga. Goalkeepers Yassine Bounou, Édouard Mendy and Vozinha are also in contention for their award.
You can follow the ceremony live on ballondor.com. Broadcast partners vary by country, so check local listings.
Sojworldnews will update this story with the winners after the ceremony. The favourites named above are tips from reports and not official predictions.
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