The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is in London tonight as the world’s most prestigious individual football award will be handed out.

England captain Harry Kane leading the charge. for the award, which is presented by France Football, but faces stiff competition from Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe and World Cup winner Lamine Yamal. The likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Rodri and Lionel Messi also potential options.

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Paris Saint-Germain and France forward Ousmane Dembele is the current holder of the men’s Ballon d’Or award, taking over from Rodri last year. Barcelona and Spain superstar Aitana Bonmati, meanwhile, has won the last three editions of the Ballon d'Or Feminin.

London are hosts for the first time in the award’s 70-year history. You can find out why right here.

Here is all you need to know about the Ballon d’Or 2026...

The 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony takes place tonight Monday, October 26.

As expected, players began to arrive from around 6pm GMT, but the ceremony itself has been delayed in getting underway. Initially due to start at approximately 8pm, it has been delayed by half an hour due to traffic in the London area.

Those exact timings are subject to change.

This year’s event is being held in London for the very first time, at the London Palladium in Soho.

Kane is the current bookmakers’ favourite to claim his first Ballon d’Or award in 2026, following a phenomenal season with Bayern Munich in which his remarkable 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions powered Vincent Kompany’s side to a memorable domestic treble and also earned him a second European Golden Shoe.

He also played a vital role in England reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in North America earlier this summer, with the Three Lions eventually claiming third place ahead of favourites France.

Kane would be the first English winner of the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001 and only the fourth overall, adding to a list that also includes Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Stanley Matthews and the late Kevin Keegan, who did it twice in back-to-back years in 1978 and 1979 while playing in Germany with Hamburg.

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by journalist and presenter Kate Scott and Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, who finished as runner-up to Juventus legend Pavel Nedved for the Ballon d’Or award in 2003.

The trophy is currently held by Dembele, with the PSG forward having beaten Barcelona’s Yamal - who was runner-up and also won Young Player of the Year in 2025.

Messi comfortably leads the all-time list of Ballon d’Or wins with eight - three more than great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has five.

Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer all won three each during their illustrious careers.