London to Host 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony on October 26

The organizers of the Ballon d'Or have announced that the 70th edition of the prestigious awards ceremony will take place on October 26 in London.

The event, organized by France Football, will mark a historic edition of the ceremony in the British capital.

According to the official announcement, choosing England as the host nation serves as a tribute to legendary English footballer Stanley Matthews, who became the first player to win the Ballon d’Or when the award was established in 1956.

The previous edition in 2025 saw Ousmane Dembélé crowned as the world’s best male player, while Aitana Bonmatí won the women’s award. The ceremony was held in Paris and organized jointly by France Football and UEFA.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or awards will recognize the best male and female players of the 2025-26 season, taking into account performances in domestic and continental competitions as well as international tournaments, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup expected to play a major role in determining the winners.

The World Cup will be hosted this summer across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The winners will be selected by an international panel of journalists, with 100 journalists representing the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings voting for the men’s award, while 50 journalists representing the top 50 women’s national teams will vote for the women’s prize.