The nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or have been announced, with 30 of the world’s leading footballers shortlisted for the prestigious individual award.

The list features an impressive mix of established superstars, World Cup winners and emerging talents. Ousmane Dembélé, who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, is among the contenders to retain the crown, while Lionel Messi has also been nominated once again.

The award recognises performances during the 2025-26 season, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The shortlist includes several players from Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Manchester City, while a number of South American and African stars also feature prominently.

Major contenders

Harry Kane enters the race after an outstanding campaign with Bayern Munich, while Lamine Yamal is among the strongest contenders following another spectacular season for Barcelona and Spain.

Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Jr., Jude Bellingham, Rodri and Vitinha are also among the high-profile names expected to challenge for the award.

Defenders have a particularly strong presence on the list, with Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano all nominated.

The inclusion of Lionel Messi, meanwhile, adds another layer of intrigue to the race as the Argentina and Inter Miami star continues to feature among the world’s elite.

Ballon d’Or 2026: Full List of Men’s Nominees

Here is the complete list of the 30 nominees

Jude Bellingham – England
Pau Cubarsí – Spain
Marc Cucurella – Spain
Ousmane Dembélé – France
Luis Díaz – Colombia
Bruno Fernandes – Portugal
Gabriel – Brazil
Erling Haaland – Norway
Achraf Hakimi – Morocco
Harry Kane – England
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Georgia
Lamine Yamal – Spain
Sadio Mané – Senegal
Marquinhos – Brazil
Lautaro Martínez – Argentina
Kylian Mbappé – France
Nuno Mendes – Portugal
Lionel Messi – Argentina
João Neves – Portugal
Michael Olise – France
Willian Pacho – Ecuador
Julián Quiñones – Colombia
Declan Rice – England
Rodri – Spain
Fabián Ruiz – Spain
William Saliba – France
Ferran Torres – Spain
Dayot Upamecano – France
Vinícius Jr. – Brazil
Vitinha – Portugal

Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees and Contenders

Check out the full list of other nominees here-

Women’s Ballon d’Or – 30 Nominees

Selma Bacha
Barbra Banda
Klara Bühl
Esmee Brugts
Mariona Caldentey
Scarlett Camberos
Kerstin Casparij
Temwa Chawinga
Cata Coll
Melchie Dumornay
Caroline Graham Hansen
Alex Greenwood
Patri Guijarro
Pernille Harder
Yui Hasegawa
Rose Lavelle
Mapi León
Lorena
Melvine Malard
Manaka Matsukubo
Vivianne Miedema
Ewa Pajor
Claudia Pina
Alexia Putellas
Wendie Renard
Alessia Russo
Khadija Shaw
Momoko Tanikawa
Caroline Weir
Tessa Wullaert

Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year

Yassine Bounou
Thibaut Courtois
Joan García
Gregor Kobel
Emiliano Martínez
Édouard Mendy
David Raya
Matvey Safonov
Unai Simón
Vozinha

Yashin Trophy – Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year

Ann-Katrin Berger
Cata Coll
Hannah Hampton
Lorena
Ayaka Yamashita

Kopa Trophy – Men’s Young Player of the Year

Kerim Alajbegović
Ayyoub Bouaddi
Pau Cubarsí
Yan Diomandé
Lennart Karl
Éli Junior Kroupi
Lamine Yamal
Johan Manzambi
Ibrahim Maza
Warren Zaïre-Emery

Kopa Trophy – Women’s Young Player of the Year

Veerle Buurman
Vicky López
Felicia Schröder
Clara Serrajordi
Lily Yohannes

Men’s Coach of the Year

Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
Luis de la Fuente – Spain
Unai Emery – Aston Villa
Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich
Luis Enrique – Paris Saint-Germain

Women’s Coach of the Year

Jonatan Giráldez – Lyon
Andrée Jeglertz – Manchester City
Nils Nielsen – Japan
Pere Romeu – Barcelona
Elena Sadiku – Celtic/BK Häcken

Men’s Club of the Year

Arsenal
Bayern Munich
Bodø/Glimt
Flamengo
Paris Saint-Germain

Women’s Club of the Year

Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Club América
Manchester City
Lyon

When is the Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony?

The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on October 26 in London. It will be the 70th edition of the award, with the move to London paying tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.

The winner will be decided by an international jury of football journalists, with voting based primarily on individual performances, team achievements and sportsmanship.