Rabat – The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium in the British capital, bringing together some of the biggest names in the world of football to celebrate the best performers of the 2025-2026 season.
This year’s ceremony will mark the 70th edition of the prestigious award and the first time London has hosted the event, which has traditionally taken place in Paris.
The ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. GMT and will be presented by former Arsenal and France star Thierry Henry alongside British sports journalist Kate Scott.
The event will also pay tribute to English football legend Stanley Matthews, who became the first Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.
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Hakimi among Ballon d’Or nominees
Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi is among the 30 players nominated for the men’s Ballon d’Or, following his performances with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Moroccan defender faces competition from several leading football stars, including Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.
Paris Saint-Germain have a strong presence on the shortlist, with several players competing for the award, including reigning winner Ousmane Dembélé, Vitinha, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Nuno Mendes.
Dembélé, who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, is seeking his second consecutive title.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi remains the most successful player in the award’s history, with eight Ballon d’Or trophies, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five.
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Bounou and Bouaddi compete for individual awards
Morocco will also have representatives in two other major award categories.
Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has earned a nomination for the Yashin Trophy, which recognizes the best goalkeeper of the season.
Bounou will compete against several prominent goalkeepers, including Thibaut Courtois, Emiliano Martínez, David Raya, Edouard Mendy, and Unai Simón.
Meanwhile, Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi is among the nominees for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best young footballer under the age of 21.
The young midfielder faces competition from Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, Paris Saint-Germain’s Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Bayern Munich’s Lennart Karl, among others.
The nominations highlight the presence of Moroccan footballers across different categories at one of football’s most prestigious award ceremonies.
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How will the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner be chosen?
The Ballon d’Or voting process involves selected international journalists representing the highest-ranked national teams in FIFA’s rankings.
For the men’s award, one journalist from each of the top 100 countries participates in the voting process, while the women’s award involves journalists from the top 50 countries.
Each journalist ranks ten players, awarding 15 points to their first choice and one point to their tenth choice.
The voting considers three main criteria: individual performances, team achievements, and fair play.
The evaluation period covers performances between August 3, 2025, and July 19, 2026, including international competitions held during that period.
Voting reportedly closed on September 28, meaning the results have already been determined ahead of Monday’s ceremony.
Where to watch the Ballon d’Or ceremony
Football fans will be able to follow the ceremony through beIN Sports News and the official Ballon d’Or website.
In addition to the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or awards, the ceremony will recognize the best young players, goalkeepers, coaches, clubs, and goalscorers.
Other honors include the Gerd Müller Trophy, the Johan Cruyff Trophy, and the Sócrates Award, which recognizes humanitarian contributions.
With several major football stars competing for individual honors, the 2026 ceremony promises another important night for international football.
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