The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Player of the Year award have been revealed, with 30 of the world’s best footballers shortlisted for the prestigious individual prize.
The list features several of the biggest names in world football, including Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham.
Full list of 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees
The 30-man shortlist includes:
Jude Bellingham
Pau Cubarsí
Marc Cucurella
Ousmane Dembélé
Luis Díaz
Bruno Fernandes
Gabriel Magalhães
Erling Haaland
Achraf Hakimi
Harry Kane
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Lamine Yamal
Sadio Mané
Marquinhos
Lautaro Martínez
Kylian Mbappé
Nuno Mendes
Lionel Messi
João Neves
Michael Olise
Willian Pacho
Julián Quiñones
Declan Rice
Rodri
Fabián Ruiz
William Saliba
Ferran Torres
Dayot Upamecano
Vinícius Júnior
Vitinha
Who are the favourites to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or?
The 2026 race is expected to be highly competitive, with several players having a strong case for the award.
Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal are among the players attracting significant attention, while defending winner Ousmane Dembélé will look to retain the prestigious award.
Other notable contenders include Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Rodri and Lionel Messi.
The presence of Messi is particularly notable after the Inter Miami star missed the previous two editions of the award. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo is absent from the 30-man shortlist.
When is the 2026 Ballon d'Or award ceremony?
The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced at the awards ceremony in London on October 26, 2026, when one player will be crowned the best men’s footballer in the world for the year.
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