The race for football’s biggest individual prize is officially on.
The 30 nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or have been revealed, with some of the biggest names in world football competing for the prestigious award.
Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and eight-time winner Lionel Messi are all on the shortlist.
But there is also one huge omission.
Cristiano Ronaldo has not been nominated.
The Portugal legend misses out despite helping Al-Nassr win the Saudi Pro League, while Messi returns to the Ballon d’Or shortlist after helping Argentina reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
The winner will be revealed on October 26, 2026, when the Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place at the London Palladium.
Here is everything you need to know about the nominees, leading contenders and biggest surprises.
2026 Ballon d’Or: Full 30-Man Shortlist
France Football and UEFA officially announced the nominees on September 8.
| Player | Nation | Club(s) listed by UEFA |
|---|---|---|
| Jude Bellingham | England | Real Madrid |
| Pau Cubarsí | Spain | Barcelona |
| Marc Cucurella | Spain | Chelsea / Real Madrid |
| Ousmane Dembélé | France | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Luis Díaz | Colombia | Bayern Munich |
| Bruno Fernandes | Portugal | Manchester United |
| Gabriel | Brazil | Arsenal |
| Erling Haaland | Norway | Manchester City |
| Achraf Hakimi | Morocco | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Harry Kane | England | Bayern Munich |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Georgia | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Lamine Yamal | Spain | Barcelona |
| Sadio Mané | Senegal | Al-Nassr |
| Marquinhos | Brazil | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Lautaro Martínez | Argentina | Inter |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | Real Madrid |
| Nuno Mendes | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Lionel Messi | Argentina | Inter Miami |
| João Neves | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Michael Olise | France | Bayern Munich |
| Willian Pacho | Ecuador | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Julián Quiñones | Mexico | Al-Qadsiah |
| Declan Rice | England | Arsenal |
| Rodri | Spain | Manchester City / Barcelona |
| Fabián Ruiz | Spain | Paris Saint-Germain |
| William Saliba | France | Arsenal |
| Ferran Torres | Spain | Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain |
| Dayot Upamecano | France | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Vinícius Júnior | Brazil | Real Madrid |
| Vitinha | Portugal | Paris Saint-Germain |
Who Are the Favorites for the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
This year’s race is particularly fascinating because performances at both club level and the 2026 World Cup have created several serious contenders.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane enters the conversation after an extraordinary season.
The England striker recorded 73 goals for club and country in 65 matches, according to Reuters.
He helped Bayern Munich secure a domestic treble of the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup, while England reached the World Cup semi-finals.
The Guardian describes Kane as the current odds-on favorite for the award.
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal has another powerful case.
The Barcelona star won La Liga and then became a World Cup champion with Spain, adding the biggest international trophy in football to an already remarkable young career.
The Guardian lists Yamal among the leading contenders behind Kane.
And Yamal has another opportunity for silverware: he is also nominated for the Men’s Young Talent of the Year award.
Erling Haaland
Haaland’s numbers remain extraordinary.
The Manchester City striker scored 58 goals in 64 appearances for club and country during the period highlighted by Reuters.
His nomination arrives just as the Norwegian has reached another enormous career milestone: 300 club goals.
Lionel Messi Returns to the Ballon d’Or Shortlist
One of the biggest stories is the return of Lionel Messi.
The eight-time winner produced 75 goal contributions in 49 appearances for Inter Miami and Argentina, while helping Argentina reach another World Cup final.
His World Cup was particularly memorable.
Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists during the tournament, according to L’Équipe, as Argentina came within one match of successfully defending their world title before losing the final to Spain.
Now, even after announcing the end of his international career, Messi is back among the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees.
A ninth Ballon d’Or would extend a record that already appears almost untouchable.
Mbappé Has a Historic World Cup Argument
Kylian Mbappé is another candidate who cannot be ignored.
The French striker made World Cup history in 2026 by overtaking Messi to become the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer with 22 goals.
France ultimately missed out on the title, but Mbappé’s individual World Cup performance added another historic achievement to his career.
Combined with his performances for Real Madrid, that puts him firmly inside the conversation.
Why Isn’t Cristiano Ronaldo Nominated?
For many fans, this will be the biggest talking point.
Cristiano Ronaldo is not among the 30 nominees.
That is despite the five-time Ballon d’Or winner helping Al-Nassr win the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo also made history at the 2026 World Cup by becoming the first player to score at six different editions of the tournament.
But those achievements were not enough to earn a place among the final 30.
And Ronaldo isn’t the only active former winner missing.
Karim Benzema and Luka Modrić are also absent, meaning Messi is the only currently active former Ballon d’Or winner included in this year’s 30-man shortlist.
Mohamed Salah Is Another Major Absentee
Another recognizable name missing from the shortlist is Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian star is not among the final 30 nominees, joining Ronaldo among the most discussed omissions from the 2026 list.
Other notable absentees highlighted by L’Équipe include Raphinha, Julián Álvarez and David Raya.
The omissions underline just how competitive this year’s field has become following a season that included both major club competitions and the expanded 2026 World Cup.
PSG Dominate the 30-Man Shortlist
One thing immediately stands out when looking through the nominations: the enormous Paris Saint-Germain presence.
The official list includes:
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Achraf Hakimi
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
- Marquinhos
- Nuno Mendes
- João Neves
- Willian Pacho
- Fabián Ruiz
- Dayot Upamecano
- Vitinha
That’s 10 nominees associated with PSG on UEFA’s official shortlist.
It is an extraordinary representation for one club and reflects PSG’s influence at the highest level during the award period.
Morocco Also Has a Ballon d’Or Nominee
There is also representation for Morocco.
Achraf Hakimi has been named among the 30 Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees following another season with Paris Saint-Germain.
And Morocco has another nomination elsewhere in the awards.
Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou is among the ten nominees for the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, alongside names including Unai Simón, Emiliano Martínez, Thibaut Courtois and David Raya.
When Is the 2026 Ballon d’Or Ceremony?
The winners will be announced on:
📅 Monday, October 26, 2026
🏟️ London Palladium Theatre
📍 London, England
This will be a historic edition.
The Ballon d’Or was created by France Football in 1956, making 2026 its 70th anniversary.
For the first time, the ceremony will be staged in England rather than its traditional French setting.
London was selected partly as a tribute to English football legend Stanley Matthews, who became the first Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.
More Than Just the Men’s Ballon d’Or
The ceremony will also recognize several other categories.
They include the Women’s Ballon d’Or, Young Talent awards, Goalkeeper awards, Coach of the Year, Club of the Year, striker awards and the Sócrates Award.
The Men’s Coach of the Year shortlist is particularly interesting:
Mikel Arteta, Luis de la Fuente, Unai Emery, Vincent Kompany and Luis Enrique.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Bodø/Glimt, Flamengo and Paris Saint-Germain are nominated for Men’s Club of the Year.
Who Should Win the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
There is no shortage of compelling cases.
Harry Kane has astonishing scoring numbers.
Lamine Yamal has a World Cup winner’s medal.
Haaland continues to score at an extraordinary rate.
Mbappé rewrote World Cup history.
Messi produced another remarkable year at 39.
And players such as Rodri, Dembélé, Rice and others have major achievements of their own.
The debate has officially begun.
On October 26, only one player will walk away with the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or.
Who gets your vote?
