France Football has named the 30 men’s and 30 women’s candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, opening the race for football’s most famous individual prize after a World Cup year. Last season’s winners were and.
The 70th will be handed out in London on October 26, a first for the ceremony and a nod to Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the original award in 1956.
is widely viewed as the early favourite after 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England, plus a German treble. Lamine Yamal is one of six Spanish world champions on the shortlist. Real Madrid’s overtook for the all-time World Cup goals record with 22.
Messi, chasing a ninth Ballon d’Or at 39, still produced 75 goal contributions in 49 games for Inter Miami and Argentina before retiring from international football.
Paris Saint-Germain dominate the numbers. Back-to-back Champions League winners have nine nominees before counting summer signing Ferran Torres.
, Raphinha and Pedri did not make the cut. Saudi Pro League names Sadio Mane and Julian Quinones did.
(Real Madrid & England)
Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona & Spain)
Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid & Spain)
(Paris Saint-Germain & France)
Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich & Colombia)
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United & Portugal)
Gabriel (Arsenal & Brazil)
(Manchester City & Norway)
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain & Morocco)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich & England)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain & Georgia)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain)
Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr & Senegal)
Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain & Brazil)
Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan & Argentina)
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid & France)
Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
(Inter Miami & Argentina)
Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich & France)
Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain & Ecuador)
Julian Quinones (Al-Qadsiah & Mexico)
Declan Rice (Arsenal & England)
(Barcelona & Spain)
Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain & Spain)
William Saliba (Arsenal & France)
Ferran Torres (Paris Saint-Germain & Spain)
Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich & France)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid & Brazil)
Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
Three-time winner Aitana Bonmati’s absence leaves the women’s award wide open for the first time since 2022. Two-time winner Alexia Putellas, now at London City Lionesses after leaving Barcelona, is among the leading names alongside Ewa Pajor and Melchie Dumornay. England’s Alessia Russo and Alex Greenwood are also shortlisted.
Selma Bacha (OL Lyonnes & France)
Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride & Zambia)
Esmee Brugts (Barcelona & Netherlands)
Klara Buhl (Bayern Munich & Germany)
Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal & Spain)
Scarlett Camberos (Club América & Mexico)
Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City & Netherlands)
Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current & Malawi)
Cata Coll (Barcelona & Spain)
Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes & Haiti)
Alex Greenwood (Manchester City & England)
Patri Guijarro (Barcelona & Spain)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Barcelona & Norway)
Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich & Denmark)
Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City & Japan)
Rose Lavelle (Gotham FC & USA)
Mapi Leon (London City Lionesses & Spain)
Lorena (Kansas City Current & Brazil)
Melvine Malard (Chelsea & France)
Manaka Matsukubo (Chelsea & Japan)
Vivianne Miedema (Manchester City & Netherlands)
Ewa Pajor (Barcelona & Poland)
Claudia Pina (Barcelona & Spain)
Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses & Spain)
Wendie Renard (OL Lyonnes & France)
Alessia Russo (Arsenal & England)
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw (Manchester City & Jamaica)
Momoko Tanikawa (Bayern Munich & Japan)
Caroline Weir (OL Lyonnes & Scotland)
Tessa Wullaert (Como & Belgium)
Men’s Young Talent of the Year: Kerim Alajbegovic (Juventus), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Manchester City), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona), Yan Diomand (eReal Madrid), Eli Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Johan Manzambi (Aston Villa), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain).
Women’s Young Talent of the Year: Veerle Buurman (Chelsea), Vicky Lopez (Barcelona), Felicia Schroder (Real Madrid), Clara Serrajordi (Barcelona), Lily Yohannes (OL Lyonnes).
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year (Yashin Trophy): Yassine Bounou (Al Hilal), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Joan García (Barcelona), Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli), (Chelsea), David Raya (Arsenal), Matvey Safonov (Paris Saint-Germain), Unai Simon (Athletic Club), Vozinha (Colo Colo). Cape Verde’s World Cup group-stage hero Vozinha is the standout surprise.
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Lorena (Kansas City Current), Ayaka Yamashita (Manchester City).
Men’s Club of the Year: , Bayern Munich, Bodø/Glimt, Flamengo, Paris Saint-Germain.
Women’s Club of the Year: Barcelona, , Club América, Manchester City, OL Lyonnes.
