- The 2026 Ballon d'Or takes place on October 26 at a historic new venue outside Paris for the first time
- Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal are among the top contenders for the men's award
- Fans worldwide can watch the ceremony live at no cost through a global streaming partner
Football's most prestigious individual honour returns on Monday, 26 October 2026, as the Ballon d'Or ceremony gets underway at the Palladium Theatre in London.
The event kicks off at 8 PM GMT, with awards spanning several categories, including the men's and women's prizes as well as the Kopa Trophy.
Source: Twitter
This year's edition marks a significant departure from tradition. For the first time in the award's history, the ceremony will not be held in Paris, its long-standing home.
Organisers chose London as the new host city as a tribute to Stanley Matthews, the English football legend who became the inaugural Ballon d'Or winner back in 1956.
On the men's side, the race is expected to be fiercely contested. Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal have all been identified as leading candidates heading into the night, setting up what promises to be a dramatic announcement, as noted by Polymarket Sports.
For supporters who want to follow the Ballon d'Or action live, there are several options available. DAZN, the ceremony's official global broadcast partner, will stream the full event free of charge in every country on its platform.
Viewers simply need to register for an account or use existing accounts to gain access, with no subscription fee required.
In addition to DAZN, a number of countries have domestic free-to-air coverage lined up. France, Norway, and Bulgaria are among the nations where local television stations will broadcast the ceremony without a paywall.
Updated Ballon d'Or rankings
Legit.ng previously reported the updated Ballon d'Or rankings after Kylian Mbappe scored twice to win the El Clasico for Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid.
Mbappe gave Madrid the lead in the first half, and Raphinha equalised early in the second half. The Frenchman netted the winner in the 88th minute.
Source: Legit.ng
Authors:
Tags:
Hot: