Ballon d’Or voting climax: who will claim the prestigious trophy?

2026-10-26 14:05 © SIPA

On Monday evening, the winner of arguably the most prestigious individual football award, the Ballon d’Or, will be revealed.

The era of dominance by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is now over, and the race for the Ballon d’Or has become wide open.

In 2025, the Ballon d’Or was won by PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé, who managed to reach the highest level despite injuries. In 2026, he is once again among the many contenders for the award.

However, other factors will also come into play this year. For example, the FIFA World Cup held in North America this summer could have a major impact on the final results.

The Africa Cup of Nations will also be taken into account. This means that some players not only performed superbly for their clubs but also shone in two major international tournaments during the same season.

According to bookmakers, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé have the best chances of winning the Ballon d’Or.

The gala ceremony in London will begin at 10:00 p.m. It will be broadcast live by DAZN.

Good night! 🤫 #ballondor https://t.co/36l24ObV4c

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026