Ballon d’Or 2026: 30 nominees revealed as five favourites emerge

France Football has officially launched the race after a remarkable season and an unforgettable World Cup

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Ballon d’Or 2026: 30 nominees revealed as five favourites emerge

The contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or are now known ahead of a wide-open battle between football’s leading stars.

After an extraordinary 2025-26 campaign and a World Cup filled with outstanding individual performances, decision time is approaching. France Football revealed the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or on Tuesday. They will compete to succeed Ousmane Dembélé, winner of the previous edition. The new recipient will be crowned in London on October 26 following the international jury’s vote.

The 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or

1 - Vitinha (PSG)

2 - Vinícius Jr. (Real Madrid)

3 - Ferran Torres (PSG)

4 - Fabián Ruiz (PSG)

5 - Dayot Opamecano (Bayern Munich)

6 - William Saliba (Arsenal)

7 - Rodri (FC Barcelona)

8 - Declan Rice (Arsenal)

9 - Julian Quinones (Al-Qadisiah)

10 - Willian Pacho (PSG)

11 - Joao Neves (PSG)

12 - Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

13 - Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

14 - Nuno Mendes (PSG)

15 - Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)

16 - Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)

17 - Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr)

18 - Marquinhos (PSG)

19 - Khvicha Kvaratshkhelia (PSG)

20 - Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona)

21 - Achraf Hakimi (PSG)

22 - Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

23 - Gabriel (Arsenal)

24 - Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

25 - Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

26 - Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich)

27 - Ousmane Dembélé (PSG)

28 - Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid)

29 - Pau Cubarsi (FC Barcelona)

30 - Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

OUR 2026 MEN'S BALLON D'OR NOMINEES!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jude Bellingham
🇪🇸 Pau Cubarsí
🇪🇸 Marc Cucurella
🇫🇷 Ousmane Dembélé
🇨🇴 Luis Díaz
🇵🇹 Bruno Fernandes
🇧🇷 Gabriel
🇳🇴 Erling Haaland
🇲🇦 Achraf Hakimi
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Harry Kane
🇬🇪 Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia
🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal
🇸🇳 Sadio Mané
🇧🇷 Marquinhos
🇦🇷…
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026

The five favourites to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or

Harry Kane boasts an extraordinary statistical case. The Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals for club and country, including 61 for Bayern and 12 for England. Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: “My season was by far my best. I am happy to be in contention, and now we have to wait.”

Lamine Yamal can point to an exceptional collective record. Already a back-to-back Spanish champion with Barcelona, the winger played a central role in Spain’s 2026 World Cup triumph. His technical influence and remarkable precocity make him a serious contender.

Kylian Mbappé finished as La Liga’s leading scorer before winning the World Cup Golden Boot and breaking the competition’s all-time scoring record. The Frenchman believes in his chances: “This could be the year, but journalists vote and they will choose,” he said before Real Madrid faced Inter.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also possesses a compelling case. The Georgian was instrumental for Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 10 goals and providing seven assists in 16 matches during the club’s second consecutive Champions League triumph. His influence in Europe’s biggest fixtures makes him one of the most credible contenders.

Finally, Ousmane Dembélé can dream of retaining the award. Crowned in the previous edition, the French international remained one of PSG’s leading figures throughout another campaign capped by Champions League glory. His experience, collective impact and status as the defending winner strengthen his candidacy in what promises to be a wide-open race.