According to a report by The Punch on Monday, October 26, 2026, the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place in London today (Monday), with Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Michael Olise among the leading contenders for the men's award.

This is the 70th edition of the event. Winners will be announced in several categories, including outstanding players, goalkeepers, young talents and coaches.

According to the official Ballon d'Or website, live coverage begins at 4pm London time. It will include verified updates, behind-the-scenes reports, reactions and statistics.

The organisers described this year's contest as one of the tightest in recent memory, adding that no confirmed leak has revealed the winners.

The men's winner will succeed Ousmane Dembélé, who is also on the list of nominees. Others in the running are Vitinha, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The organisers have also explained how the awards will be decided. An international jury of specialist journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings will pick the men's winner, while journalists from the top 50 countries will decide the women's award.

The rankings in place when the nominees were announced on September 8, 2026, determine which countries are represented.

Each juror must choose 10 players from a 30-man shortlist and rank them in order of merit. The picks earn 15, 12, 10, eight, seven, five, four, three, two and one point respectively.

The player with the highest total wins. If there is a tie, the number of first-place votes settles it, followed by second-place votes and later rankings if necessary.

The shortlist was compiled by France Football's editorial staff, members of the L'Équipe team, at least one member of last year's jury and designated football ambassadors.

The women's Ballon d'Or and other special honours will also be presented during the ceremony.