Monday. London. The London Palladium. That’s where football’s biggest individual prize, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, goes down, and the stakes are absolutely bonkers. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, and the legend Lionel Messi are all nominated for the men’s award, and fans are hyped to see who takes home the ultimate bragging rights.
The Biggest Prize Hits London for a Milestone
This year’s ceremony isn’t just another awards show, it’s a huge deal. The whole event is moving to England, specifically the London Palladium, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the award. They’re also taking the opportunity to honor Sir Stanley Matthews, who’s an English legend for winning the very first Ballon d’Or way back in 1956. Talk about history! Besides the main Men’s and Women’s Ballon d’Or, they’re handing out a bunch of other trophies too. We’re talking prizes for the best young male and female players (U21), Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year for both men and women, and even Men’s and Women’s Club of the Year. Plus, there’s the Socrates Award for those champions doing good with solidarity initiatives.
How Exactly Do They Pick the Best in the World?
Ever wonder how they actually decide who wins the Ballon d’Or? It’s not just a popularity contest. The voting system for the main awards is based on three key factors: individual performances, team achievements, and a player’s entire career. For the men’s award, a panel of 100 sports journalists weighs in, while 50 sports journalists vote for the women’s award. Each journalist picks their top 10, and those spots earn points. First place gets 15 points, second gets 12, then 10, 8, 7, 5, 4, 3, 2, and finally 1 point for the tenth pick. It’s a comprehensive system that tries to capture everything. The Kopa Trophy, for the best young player, has a different jury altogether, made up of former Ballon d’Or winners. That’s pretty cool, having the legends themselves pick the next generation’s star.
Who Won Last Year and What’s Coming Next?
To give you a taste of the kind of talent we’re talking about, let’s flash back to 2025’s winners. Lamine Yamal, who’s up for the big one this year, actually won the Men’s Kopa Trophy last time around playing for Barcelona and Spain. Vicky Lopez took home the Women’s Kopa Trophy for Barcelona and Spain as well. Sarina Wiegman from England won the Women’s Johan Cruyff Trophy, while Luis Enrique of Paris Saint-Germain grabbed the Men’s version. On the goalkeeping front, Hannah Hampton (Chelsea/England) won the Women’s Yashin Trophy, and Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City/Italy) was the Men’s Yashin Trophy winner. The Gerd Muller Trophies went to Ewa Pajor (Barcelona/Poland) for the women and Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal/Sweden) for the men. Arsenal also snagged the Women’s Club of the Year.
So, who’s gonna etch their name into history this time? We’ll find out soon enough. Make sure you’re tuned in to DAZN this Monday, October 26th. The Red Carpet action kicks off at 2 p.m. ET, and the main ceremony starts at 3 p.m. ET. Don’t miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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