The 2026 Ballon d'Or award ceremony will take place in London, England, departing from its traditional venue at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, France. This year's event is particularly significant as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of the award, which was first presented in 1956 and has been awarded annually except for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the current holder of the Ballon d'Or, having won it after leading the French club to its first-ever UEFA Champions League title. According to Olympics, Dembele became the fourth player since 2008, besides Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to win the award, following Luka Modric (2018), Karim Benzema (2022), and Rodri (2024). Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d'Or titles, the most recent in 2023, while Ronaldo has won five, the last in 2017.
Why the 2026 Ballon d'Or Is Moving to London
France Football announced in May that the 2026 ceremony will be held in London on October 26, with the exact venue and time to be confirmed later. The move to London is intended to honor the first winner of the Ballon d'Or, English winger Stanley Matthews, who received the award in 1956. A statement from the Ballon d'Or organization explained: "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."
Two English footballers born and raised in London, Declan Rice and Harry Kane, are among the contenders for the 2026 award. Kane scored 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich, helping the club win the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal double, and reaching the Champions League semi-finals. Rice was instrumental in Arsenal's first Premier League title in 22 years and their first Champions League final in 22 years, which they lost to PSG. Both players are key members of Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the Three Lions aim to win their first title since 1966.
Current holder Ousmane Dembele remains the leading favorite to retain his award, but the outcome could change following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The updated Ballon d'Or rankings after PSG's penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in the 2025/26 Champions League final have been analyzed, with Dembele still at the top.
