The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced with several of the world’s leading football stars included on the shortlist for the prestigious individual award.
The nominations were announced by the award organisers, France Football on Tuesday as the Ballon d’Or marks its 70th year of recognising outstanding achievements in football.
The shortlist covers performances during the 2025/26 season with players who impressed for both their clubs and national teams considered for the award.
Among the nominees for the Men’s Ballon d’Or are Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi. Portugal and Al Nassr Forward, Cristiano Ronaldo didnt make the list which has caused uproar among fans around the world.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Liverpool forward Luis Diaz and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes also made the list.
Other notable nominees include Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid, Arsenal defender William Saliba, Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and PSG midfielder Vitinha.
The nominees also include several other players who played key roles for their clubs during the 2025/26 campaign, including Lautaro Martinez, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Declan Rice and Fabián Ruiz.
Nominees were also announced for other categories, including the Women’s Ballon d’Or, Yashin Trophy for goalkeepers, awards for young players, strikers, coaches and clubs.
The winners will be announced at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday October 26th 2026.
