The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced, with Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and defending champion Ousmane Dembele among the biggest names in contention for football’s most prestigious individual honour.
The 30-man shortlist features a strong Paris Saint-Germain presence, with the French champions having 10 nominees. Real Madrid have four representatives, while Barcelona and Bayern Munich also have several players in the running.
Kane enters the race after a remarkable campaign in which he scored 73 goals for club and country. Mbappe, meanwhile, remains among the leading contenders after another prolific season, while Yamal continues to establish himself as one of the biggest stars in world football.
Dembele will attempt to retain the award he won in 2025, although he faces competition from several PSG teammates, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Lionel Messi has also returned to the shortlist following his performances for Argentina at the World Cup. However, there is no place for Cristiano Ronaldo, meaning the Portuguese star remains absent from the Ballon d’Or nominees.
PSG’s dominance is one of the major stories from this year’s list, with Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Willian Pacho among their nominees.
MEN’S BALLON D’OR NOMINEES
- Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid
- Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona
- Marc Cucurella, Chelsea/Real Madrid
- Ousmane Dembele, Paris Saint-Germain
- Luis Diaz, Bayern Munich
- Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United
- Gabriel, Arsenal
- Erling Haaland, Manchester City
- Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain
- Harry Kane, Bayern Munich
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Paris Saint-Germain
- Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
- Sadio Mane, Al Nassr
- Marquinhos, Paris Saint-Germain
- Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan
- Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid
- Nuno Mendes, Paris Saint-Germain
- Lionel Messi, Inter Miami
- Joao Neves, Paris Saint-Germain
- Michael Olise, Bayern Munich
- Willian Pacho, Paris Saint-Germain
- Julian Quinones, Al Qadsiah
- Declan Rice, Arsenal
- Rodri, Manchester City/Barcelona
- Fabian Ruiz, Paris Saint-Germain
- William Lintasa, Arsenal
- Ferran Torres, Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain
- Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich
- Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid
- Vitinha, Paris Saint-Germain
YAMAL CHASES KOPA HISTORY
Yamal has another piece of history in sight after earning a nomination for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best Under-21 player in world football.
The Barcelona star has won the award in each of the past two editions and could become a three-time winner if he retains the prize in 2026.
Pau Cubarsi and Warren Zaire-Emery are among the other high-profile nominees on a list packed with emerging talent from across Europe.
2026 KOPA TROPHY NOMINEES
- Kerim Alajbegovic, RB Salzburg/Juventus
- Ayyoub Bouaddi, Lille/Manchester City
- Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona
- Yan Diomande, RB Leipzig/Real Madrid
- Lennart Karl, Bayern Munich
- Eli Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth
- Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
- Johan Manzambi, Aston Villa
- Ibrahim Maza, Bayer Leverkusen
- Warren Zaire-Emery, Paris Saint-Germain
THE YASHIN TROPHY
The Yashin Trophy race will also have a new winner after 2025 champion Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to make the shortlist.
Thibaut Courtois, Joan Garcia and David Raya are among the leading names in contention, while Emiliano Martinez and Unai Simon also feature in the 10-player list.
2026 YASHIN TROPHY NOMINEES
- Yassine Bounou, Al Hilal
- Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid
- Gregor Kobel, Borussia Dortmund
- Joan Garcia, Barcelona
- Edouard Mendy, Al Ahli
- Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa/Chelsea
- David Raya, Arsenal
- Vozinha, Chaves/Colo-Colo
- Unai Simon, Athletic Club
- Matvey Safonov, Paris Saint-Germain
2026 WOMEN’S YASHIN TROPHY NOMINEES
- Ann-Katrin Berger, Gotham FC
- Cata Coll, Barcelona
- Lorena, Kansas City Current
- Hannah Hampton, Chelsea
- Ayaka Yamashita, Manchester City
COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
The Johan Cruyff Trophy race will feature five of the biggest names in football management, with Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and international football represented on the shortlist.
Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany and Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique are among the nominees, alongside Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Spain national team boss Luis de la Fuente.
2026 MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
- Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
- Luis de la Fuente, Spain national team
- Unai Emery, Aston Villa
- Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich
- Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain
CEREMONY HEADS TO LONDON
The 2026 edition will also mark a historic change for the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
For the first time since 2019, the event will move away from the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. The ceremony will instead be held in London, with the choice of venue paying tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.
The winners will be announced on October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre, marking the first time the ceremony has been staged in the English capital.
With an open field for the men’s prize, Yamal chasing a historic Kopa hat-trick and a new Yashin Trophy winner guaranteed, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony promises to carry no shortage of major storylines.
– Ends
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