The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, held at the London Palladium, got off to a delayed start due to London traffic. The event, presented by Kate Scott and Thierry Henry, was initially scheduled to start earlier but was postponed by 45 minutes to allow all guests to arrive. Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, and Lamine Yamal, the three top contenders for the men's award, arrived at the ceremony with smiles on their faces.
Before the ceremony, Kylian Mbappé expressed his excitement, having just won a match against FC Barcelona. He mentioned that he was focused on enjoying the evening and had not prepared a speech, as he believed it would bring bad luck. Mbappé was seated next to Michael Olise and near Ousmane Dembélé. Several football legends, including Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Andrey Shevchenko, Michael Owen, and Hristo Stoichkov, attended the event, although Lionel Messi was noticeably absent.
The ceremony began with the Kopa Trophy, awarded to Lamine Yamal for the third consecutive year. Thierry Henry playfully asked Yamal if the trophy was what he had wanted, bringing smiles to the audience. Yamal responded by praising his teammate Pau Cubarsi, suggesting that Cubarsi deserved the award more. The Barcelona team and Spanish players went on to receive several more accolades throughout the evening.
Vicky Lopez was awarded the trophy for best young female player, while Pere Romeu and Luis De la Fuente received awards for best female and male coaches. Cata Coll and Unai Simon were recognized as best goalkeeper and goalkeeper, respectively, and FC Barcelona won the award for best female club. These wins led to several heartfelt moments, including embraces between De la Fuente, Yamal, and Rodri, and between Simon and Raya.
Outside of the Spanish and Catalan contingent, Bukayo Saka received the Socrates Prize for his humanitarian work, and was warmly welcomed on stage by Thierry Henry. Paris Saint-Germain was awarded the best male club for the second consecutive year, with Ousmane Dembélé accepting the trophy and dedicating it to the team's supporters, neutral fans, and critics.
The trophies for top scorers were awarded to Charlyn Corral and Harry Kane, setting the stage for the main event: the Ballon d'Or. Alexia Putellas was recognized for the third time, following her wins in 2021 and 2022, continuing Barcelona's dominance in the women's category.
Harry Kane was ultimately awarded the 2026 Ballon d'Or, beating out Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Before the ceremony, Kane had expressed his stress, but the evening ended on a high note for him. He thanked his former club, Tottenham, and was congratulated by his teammate Michael Olise and the previous year's winner, Ousmane Dembélé.
Key points
- Harry Kane wins 2026 Ballon d'Or.
- Alexia Putellas wins third Ballon d'Or.
- Lamine Yamal wins third consecutive Kopa Trophy.
