CBS Sports presenters Kate Scott and Thierry Henry will host the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium this evening. The pair, who have built a strong on-air partnership covering the Champions League, will hand out the biggest individual prize in world football, with Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal leading the odds.
A Partnership Forged on CBS Sports
Scott, 45, was appointed as CBS Sports' main Champions League presenter in 2020, with Henry, 49, joining the cast the following year. Their chemistry has made them a popular duo among viewers, but their working relationship has not been without its awkward moments.
During a live broadcast in May 2023, Scott mistakenly introduced the show as "FOX Sports," a rival network where she had previously worked. The error prompted a mortified reaction from Henry, while fellow pundits Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher collapsed in laughter.
An On-Air Blunder Nearly Ends the Show
Scott apologised for the mistake, saying: "I'm so sorry, the teleprompter had just kind of risen up a bit and I apologise. I'm about to get fired. Pete [presumably her producer], I am so sorry." Henry then turned and walked off camera, with Carragher, still on the floor, asking: "Are there any jobs going on FOX?"
Fortunately for football fans, the error did not prove to be the career-ending moment Scott feared. She and Henry continued to entertain audiences on European nights alongside Carragher and Richards, forming one of the most engaging punditry teams in the sport.
A Genuine Connection on Stage
Henry has said the trio's greatest strength is that their connection is completely genuine. "The main thing is that it is us. It is really us," he told The Athletic last year. "People think I am putting on a face, but that is how I am. That is me. The most important thing is that we are friends. Nobody is acting."
That rapport will be on display again when Scott and Henry take the stage in London. The Ballon d'Or typically features a football icon or two presenting prizes in a guest capacity, but this year's event benefits from a ready-made partnership in Scott and Henry, given their extensive work together in recent years.
