The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to be held in London for the first time this autumn. Scheduled for October 26, the event will mark the prestigious award's 70th anniversary, seven decades after Englishman Stanley Matthews became its inaugural winner in 1956. The venue in London has yet to be announced.
The Ballon d'Or, presented by France Football and co-organised by UEFA since 2024, honours the world's best footballer. Last year, France and Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele claimed the prize. In a statement, organisers said: "By staging its 70th edition in the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the Ballon d'Or continues its expansion and further strengthens its status as a globally prestigious brand."
As the European football season concludes and the 2026 FIFA World Cup looms, speculation is rife over who will succeed 2025 winners Aitana Bonmatí and Ousmane Dembele. Lionel Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d'Or wins with eight, most recently in 2023 after guiding Argentina to World Cup glory. Cristiano Ronaldo follows with five, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, and Marco van Basten each have three.
The last English player to win the award was Michael Owen in 2001. However, England captain Harry Kane is a strong contender this year following his prolific goalscoring for Bayern Munich. Ahead of the World Cup in North America, Kane is the favourite, ahead of Dembele, Declan Rice, Michael Olise, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal.
