The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place at the London Palladium on October 26: the 70th-anniversary edition and the first ever staged in London, honouring first winner Stanley Matthews.
Football's most prestigious individual prize returns to the spotlight on Monday, October 26, 2026, as the Ballon d'Or ceremony is staged at the London Palladium Theatre. The event begins at 20:00 GMT (21:00 CET) and marks the 70th-anniversary edition of the award, which was created by France Football in 1956. For the first time in its history, the ceremony is being held in London, giving one of the sport's best-known traditions a new setting as players, coaches and clubs gather to learn who will be honoured for their achievements over the past season.
The official list of nominees was announced on September 8, 2026, opening seven weeks of debate among supporters and pundits over the season's outstanding performers. The ceremony is co-organised by France Football and UEFA, a partnership that has broadened the event's profile across the European game. Alongside the men's prize, the evening also recognises the best player in women's football, a category that has become central to the award since its introduction in 2018. The new winners will succeed Ousmane Dembélé and Aitana Bonmatí, who claimed the men's and women's trophies at the 2025 edition.
The choice of London carries strong symbolic weight. The anniversary edition honours Stanley Matthews, the English winger who became the very first Ballon d'Or winner in 1956, when France Football launched the award to celebrate the best footballer in Europe. Over seven decades, the trophy has evolved into a global benchmark of individual excellence, with its list of winners reflecting the changing eras of the game. Dembélé's 2025 victory followed a season in which Paris Saint-Germain won their first UEFA Champions League title, while Bonmatí became the first player to win the women's award three years in a row. Whoever lifts the trophies in London will join that distinguished lineage at a milestone moment for the prize.
